Well, here it is, Thursday, 21 Oct. I managed to get in a run this morning before it started raining too hard. Jo headed off down island for a day-trip and it's been raining since. I hope it's not too bad down there.
So before I take the puppies out for their mid-afternoon walk to check the mail, let's begin a reading update. I've completed two books since my last update, both of them quite excellent horror stories. I've started two as well. I'll provide my reviews of both books and the synopses of my next in line for reading. I'll also provide synopses of a number of new books; got in the mail, some bought downtown Courtenay, etc. So let's go!
Just Finished
1.
The Rats by
James Herbert (1974). Herbert's first book.
"I've enjoyed 4 of British horror author, James Herbert's works since I finally tried them in 2013. The first was turned into an excellent TV mini-series, The Secret of Crickley Hall. Each story was interesting and unique, from The Fog (1975), through The Survivor (1976) to Nobody True (2003). The Rats was his first published work, published in 1974. What a great start to a prolific career.
This is the basic story line and believe me, it starts off with a bang and just keeps going from their. It starts with one Henry Guilfoyle, a one-time successful salesman. Falling in love with another man, he is shamed out of his company, cycles into drink, losing jobs, working just enough to keep himself in drink. One night in London, he gets his bottle of liquor, hides himself in a wrecked building, and wakes up to find himself under attack by rats... not normal brown rats, but giant black rats. Of course this attack is terminal. The story moves on from there, more and more rats attacking more and more people. The main character of the story is a teacher, Mr. Harris, who gets involved when one of his students is bit and dies quickly from infection. Harris is basically hired by the government to tell what he knows and, because Harris grew up in the infested area, to help advise about it and to locate the rats.
It's a tense, gritty story; it's violent, a violence that grows and grows. The rats are terrifying, their attacks are terrifying and graphic and it's relentless, but so well written and so fluid. There are acts of heroism, but who is winning the war? Various attempts are made to arrest the infestation, but all made difficult because nobody knows where they hide! For a first novel, it's fascinating, nail-biting, but with interesting personalities as well. Harris's relationship with Judy is nicely developed and adds a nice counterpoint to the terror.
All in all, probably my favorite Herbert novel so far and if you like a chill-fest, well worth trying. There are 3 other books in The Rats series (Yipes!) so I guess I'll have to find the next.. *shudder* (4.5 stars)"
2.
The Other by
Thomas Tryon (1971).
"The Other is my first exposure to the work of American author, Thomas Tryon. It was originally published in 1971. Based on this story, I'm now looking forward to reading more of his books. I currently have Harvest Home on my bookshelf and have heard it's also quite excellent.
So let's see. The Other follows twin boys, Niles and Holland Perry as they grow up in their family's ancestral home in Connecticut. As the story progresses, we discover that it's a home of many tragedies. Their father died in 'mysterious' circumstances. Their mother, Alexandra, is isolated in her bedroom, suffering from her husband's death and is rarely seen, other than by Niles who brings her books, spends time with her.
Also living and working at the home are grandmother, Ada, a Russian immigrant, their uncle George and Aunt Valeria and son Russel, plus pregnant sister Torrie and her husband Rider. Working there are Winnie, chief cook and bottle washer and Leno, their gardener. There are many secrets that we begin to come aware of as the story progresses. Was Holland involved in his father's death? Was Holland involved in the death of Ada's cat? We see the story mostly from Niles' and Ada's eyes. Niles seems the 'normal' twin, but what is in the tin box he carries around in his shirt? Why does he have his father's ring? While Holland seems to be plotting things at all times, to satisfy his 'boredom?', Niles is a follower, or is her really? Ada and Niles seem to have a close relationship; they play a game of trying to see inside objects.... it's difficult to explain.
As the story progresses, there are other tragedies which I won't describe so you can discover them yourself. The question is always.. were they accidents or not? There is an underlying tension and creepiness throughout the story, leaving you in a constant state of unease, wondering what will happen next... Oh, and who is the older individual who is in some sort of 'institution' and is an alternate narrator... Mysterious...
It's a fascinating story, nebulous at times as you try to grasp what is actually happening, but so well written and described. The characters, especially Niles and Ada are well-presented and made so very interesting. The story moves along nicely, alternating between 'normal' daily life and increasing the tension slowly but steadily. Excellent story. I'm looking forward to reading more of Tryon's work. (4.5 stars)"
Currently Reading
1.
The Panic Hand by
Jonathan Carroll (1989). A new author for me. I'm enjoying this collection of stories very much so far.
""I want you frowning
now, knowing something is very wrong with your parachute even before
actually pulling the cord and praying it opens. P.S. It won't." So
Jonathan Carroll addresses his readers in this much-awaited collection
of 20 stories. Author of several wry and dark novels, Carroll has a
considerable following, but his books are difficult to pigeonhole, so
some horror and fantasy readers are still unfamiliar with him. This
collection shows off his talents admirably, in tales that range from
bittersweet sadness over God's failing memory, to a disturbing
friendship between a dog and a dying child, to a macabre fantasy about
how men and women manipulate each other. As The New York Times
put it, "Carroll's world is one that is subtly out of kilter, and which
can take a turn for the sinister at any time." This volume is winner of
the 1996 Bram Stoker Award for Best Short Story Collection."
2.
So Far So Good, Final Poems: 2014 - 2018 by
Ursula K. LeGuin (2018). I've enjoyed LeGuin's YA Fantasy stories and her Sci-Fi. Interested to try her poetry.
"Legendary author Ursula
K. Le Guin was lauded by millions for her ground- breaking science
fiction novels, but she began as a poet, and wrote across genres for her
entire career. In this clarifying and sublime collection--completed
shortly before her death in 2018--Le Guin is unflinching in the face of
mortality, and full of wonder for the mysteries beyond. Redolent of
the lush natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, with rich sounds
playfully echoing myth and nursery rhyme, Le Guin bookends a long,
daring, and prolific career.
From "How it Seems to Me"
In the vast abyss before time, self is not, and soul commingles
with mist, and rock, and light. In time, soul brings the misty self to be.
Then slow time hardens self to stone while ever lightening the soul,
till soul can loose its hold of self . . .
Ursula K. Le Guin is the author of over sixty novels, short fiction works, translations, and volumes of poetry, including the acclaimed novels The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed. Her books continue to sell millions of copies worldwide. Le Guin died in 2018 in her home in Portland, Oregon."
New Books
1.
Foreigner by
C.J. Cherryh (Foreigner #1).
"The first book in C.J. Cherryh's eponymous series, Foreigner
begins an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft who
crash-land on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient alien race.
From its beginnings as a human-alien story of first contact, the Foreigner
series has become a true science fiction odyssey, following a
civilization from the age of steam through early space flight to
confrontations with other alien species in distant sectors of space."
2.
Once... by
James Herbert (2001).
"For Thom Kindred, life
is nothing spectacular. A stroke victim, Thom finds himself partially
incapacitated and battling daily to regain control of his life. Moved by
haunting dreams of his youth, he travels back to the wooded land where
he grew up to recuperate. Surrounded by the comforts of Castle Bracken,
Thom plans to relive old, forgotten memories.
But Thom's return
has stirred an ancient evil at Castle Bracken, one cloaked in the guise
of a friend. His only chance for survival lies in a world that he no
longer believes in.
International bestselling author James
Herbert opens the door into a place of wonder and terrible danger; where
the unexpected becomes the norm, where the separation of dreams and
nightmares is thin, and where "Once upon a time . . ." doesn't always
lead to a happy ending
3.
The Terminal Beach by
J.G. Ballard (1964).
"Contents:
· The Terminal Beach · nv New Worlds Mar ’64
· A Question of Re-Entry · nv Fantastic Mar ’63
· The Drowned Giant · ss *; ; as “Souvenir”, Playboy May ’65
· End-Game · nv New Worlds Jun ’63
· The Illuminated Man · nv F&SF May ’64
· The Reptile Enclosure [“The Sherrington Theory”] · ss Amazing Mar ’63
· The Delta at Sunset · ss *
· Deep End · ss New Worlds May ’61
· The Volcano Dances · ss *
· Billenium · ss New Worlds Nov ’61
· The Gioconda of the Twilight Noon · ss *
· The Lost Leonardo · ss F&SF Mar ’64"
4.
Beastly Things by
Donna Leon (Inspector Brunetti #21).
"In Beastly Things,
the body of a man is found in a canal, damaged by the tides, carrying no
wallet, and wearing only one shoe, Brunetti has little to work with. No
local has filed a missing-person report, and no hotel guests have
disappeared. Where was the crime scene? And how can he identify the man
when he can't show pictures of his face? The autopsy shows a way
forward: it turns out the man was suffering from a rare, disfiguring
disease. With Inspector Vianello, Brunetti canvases shoe stores and
winds up on the mainland in Mestre, outside his usual sphere. From a
shopkeeper, they learn that the man had a kindly way with animals.
At
the same time, animal rights and meat consumption are quickly becoming
preoccupying issues at the Venice Questura, and in Brunetti's home,
where conversation at family meals offers a window into the joys and
conflicts of Italian life. Perhaps with the help of Signorina Elettra,
Brunetti and Vianello can identify the man and understand why someone
wanted him dead. As subtle and engrossing as ever, Leon's Beastly Things
is immensely enjoyable, intriguing, and ultimately moving"
5.
Transcription by
Kate Atkinson (2018).
"In 1940, eighteen-year
old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of
espionage. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring
the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers, she discovers
the work to be by turns both tedious and terrifying. But after the war
has ended, she presumes the events of those years have been relegated to
the past forever.
Ten years later, now a radio producer at the BBC,
Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different
war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds
herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she
finally begins to realize that there is no action without consequence."
6.
Dawn by
Elie Wiesel (Night #2).
"Elisha is a young Jewish
man, a Holocaust survivor, and an Israeli freedom fighter in
British-controlled Palestine; John Dawson is the captured English
officer he will murder at dawn in retribution for the British execution
of a fellow freedom fighter. The night-long wait for morning and death
provides Dawn, Elie Wiesel's ever more timely novel, with its
harrowingly taut, hour-by-hour narrative. Caught between the manifold
horrors of the past and the troubling dilemmas of the present, Elisha
wrestles with guilt, ghosts, and ultimately God as he waits for the
appointed hour and his act of assassination. Dawn is an eloquent
meditation on the compromises, justifications, and sacrifices that human
beings make when they murder other human beings."
7.
Day by
Elie Wiesel (Night #3).
"In its opening
paragraphs, a successful journalist and Holocaust survivor steps off a
New York City curb and into the path of an oncoming taxi. Consequently,
most of Wiesel's masterful portrayal of one man's exploration of the
historical tragedy that befell him, his family, and his people
transpires in the thoughts, daydreams, and memories of the novel's
narrator. Torn between choosing life or death, Day again and
again returns to the guiding questions that inform Wiesel's trilogy: the
meaning and worth of surviving the annihilation of a race, the effects
of the Holocaust upon the modern character of the Jewish people, and the
loss of one's religious faith in the face of mass murder and human
extermination."
8.
Source*Forged Armor by
Paul J. Bartusiak (John Angstrom #1). I've already read the 2nd book and enjoyed.
"John Angstrom is a
decommissioned CIA field operative, damaged goods from a mission gone
awry. He is "placed" into DARPA, a branch of the Pentagon charged with
maintaining the technological superiority of the U.S. military. It's a
landing spot for Angstrom—a career transition—someplace safe for a man
who can no longer do what he loves, and what he is trained to do.
His
placement coincides with a groundbreaking event in DARPA's history: the
crowdsourced design of a next generation Marine Amphibious Vehicle, or
MAV. Massive in scale, the effort pulls together top experts in the
field and submissions from the largest defense contractors around the
world. The placement also pairs Angstrom with Dr. Susan Rand, a
beautiful and driven woman working as a consultant on the project. Rand
is a force like no other, and Angstrom must quickly figure out her
motives, because her agenda is not clear, and she wields power and
influence within DARPA in a most unorthodox manner.
Among all of
the MAV submissions, there is something significant—something that no
one can see for what it truly is—at least, not until Angstrom discovers
it. His new role takes him in an unexpected direction, far outside the
realm of DARPA, and leads to a new mission that will change lives
forever."
9.
Girl Waits with Gun by
Amy Stewart (Kopp Sisters #1). A new author and series for me.
"When Constance Kopp and
her sisters suffered a run-in with a ruthless, powerful crook, Constance
leaves her quiet country life to team up with the local sheriff and
exact justice. As a war of bricks, bullets, and threats ensues,
Constance realizes that this racketeer's history may be more damning
than she thought, but now that she's on the case, he won't get away.
Quick-witted
and full of madcap escapades, Girl Waits with Gun is a story of one
woman rallying the courage to stand up for and grow into herself - with a
little help from sisters and sheriffs along the way."
10.
Pump Six and Other Stories by
Paolo Bacigalupi (2008).
"Paolo Bacigalupi's debut
collection demonstrates the power and reach of the science fiction
short story. Social criticism, political parable, and environmental
advocacy lie at the center of Paolo's work. Each of the stories herein
is at once a warning, and a celebration of the tragic comedy of the
human experience.
The eleven stories in Pump Six represent the
best Paolo's work, including the Hugo nominee "Yellow Card Man," the
nebula and Hugo nominated story "The People of Sand and Slag," and the
Sturgeon Award-winning story "The Calorie Man."
Next post I'll continue with my look at Women Authors I've been enjoying. Enjoy the rest of your week. Stay safe.
