I've finished two books this week. I'll provide reviews for both, plus the synopses of the next two books. I'll also provide synopses for some new books and then continue with my ongoing look at Women Authors I've been enjoying.
Just Finished
"Bloodlist is the first book in fantasy author P.N. Elrod Vampire Files series. I've enjoyed other books in the series and was glad to finally see how it all began. I was a bit disappointed actually. I mean it was an entertaining, action-filled series but I think there was a bit too much thrown into the mix and it left me feeling somewhat more confused.
I hoped the story might show how night club owner Jack Fleming became a vampire. Now it's very possible I missed it in this short novel, but I don't think so. There are intimations that he was made a vampire by a woman, Maureen, but that's about as far as it goes.
In this story, Jack is an ex-NY reporter who has moved to Chicago to start a new life. Maureen has disappeared, may be dead. The story starts sort of in the middle. Someone has tried to kill Jack and he wakes up on the shore of Lake Michigan. His memory of the events are very hazy but over the course of the novel, he begins to have visions of the events. Jack goes back to the town where his family are buried to get some soil that he can use as his hidey hole??? (vampire stuff). Staying in a hotel room, sleeping through the day in a steamer trunk with bags of soil, Jack wakes up one night and has a note from someone. This turns out to be PI Charles Escott (who turns up in all of the later novels). Escott knows he's a vampire. He offers to help Jack find out what happened to him.
As this series is set in the Capone - run Chicago (or just after), Jack begins to investigate mobsters who own night clubs. He's discovering his vampire powers; ability to fade out, ease through walls, over power with his mental strength, etc. As I say, there is a lot thrown out in this book. The investigation leads to more violence, murder attempts on Escott and Jack. We meet other characters from later books, African-American gangster and Escott's friend, Shoe Coldfield, and night club singer, Bobbi, who will become a love interest in later books.
The story is entertaining, somewhat frustrating, filled with action, murder / mayhem and vampirish activity, but also kind of confusing and leaves with more questions than answers. Now to find the 2nd book!! (3 stars)"
"[author:John Wyndham|36332] was one of the authors who got me started on my enjoyment of Sci-Fi. I think the 1st I ever read by him was The Day of the Triffids, loved it. And then The Chrysalids, also loved it. Over the years, besides rereading the first two, I enjoyed his others as well. He had a very understated way with telling his stories, but still created tension, interest, even fear. More recently, I've discovered he wrote other books, some early works published under pen names and two later books that were discovered and published by his estate. [book:Web|13580123] was published in 1979, 10 years after his death.
I'd have to say this falls more under the horror genre than Sci-Fi. A wealthy philanthropist wants t create a perfect society and buys an island in the Pacific where he wants to set up a colony. A group of men, women and children are selected and head to the island where they will establish a colony and see what they can create. The island originally was inhabited by a tribe of cannibals. Over the years, they were attacked by German troops trying to establish a Navy base during the War; taken over by the British commonwealth but left relatively on their own. In the '60s, there were nuclear tests nearby and due to risk of radioactive fallout, the island was purchased by the British government and the islanders moved to a new island for their safety. The medicine man lays a curse on the island.
Moving ahead, many years later, the radioactivity has been reduced to acceptable levels and the island is purchased by Lord Foxfield for his colony. The first half of the story deals with a brief history of the island and the voyage to it. The last half deals with the events that take place on the island and the discovery that the colonists are not alone. You can maybe guess who else lives there from the title??? Yes you're quite right, a group of cannibalistic web designers.. No, you're wrong.
I won't go into the story any more than that, but suffice it to say that it was definitely creepy and made my skin crawl as I got into it. That has something to do with my fear of..... well, read it. The story focuses on two main characters; the narrator Arnold Delgrange, a man who had lost his family in a car accident and wants to try something to wake up his life, and Camilla Cogent, a biologist. She was my favorite character, down-to-earth, smart, imperturbable, such a strong character. The story moves along nicely, in an under-stated way, and holds your attention. Some excellent discussions between Arnold and Camilla, about 'balance of nature', the role of man, etc. And a creepy, scary story. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Alex and Leslie Twisden said they would pay any price to have children. But some costs are too high.
Adam and Alice Twisden know they're not like other kids.
Other kids don't get locked in their rooms at night.
Other kids don't hear strange noises outside their door.
Noises which are getting louder..."
"A special 40th anniversary edition of the classic, bestselling novel that novel that launched James Herbert's career
It
was only when the bones of the first devoured victims were discovered
that the true nature and power of these swarming black creatures — with
their razor sharp teeth and the taste for human blood — began to be
realized by a panic-stricken city. For millions of years, man and rat
had been natural enemies. But now for the first time — suddenly,
shockingly, horribly — the balance of power had shifted..."
New Books
"A celebrated foreign
policy expert and key impeachment witness reveals how declining
opportunity has set America on the grim path of modern Russia—and draws
on her personal journey out of poverty, as well as her unique
perspectives as an historian and policy maker, to show how we can return
hope to our forgotten places.
Fiona Hill grew up in a world
of terminal decay. The last of the local mines had closed, businesses
were shuttering, and despair was etched in the faces around her. Her
father urged her to get out of their blighted corner of northern
England: “There is nothing for you here, pet,” he said.
The
coal-miner’s daughter managed to go further than he ever could have
dreamed. She studied in Moscow and at Harvard, became an American
citizen, and served three U.S. Presidents. But in the heartlands of both
Russia and the United States, she saw troubling reflections of her
hometown and similar populist impulses. By the time she offered her
brave testimony in the first impeachment inquiry of President Trump,
Hill knew that the desperation of forgotten people was driving American
politics over the brink—and that we were running out of time to save
ourselves from Russia’s fate. In this powerful, deeply personal account,
she shares what she has learned, and shows why expanding opportunity is
the only long-term hope for our democracy."
Women Authors I'm Enjoying - Phyllis Gotlieb
Phyllis Gotlieb was a Canadian Sci-Fi author who lived from 1926 - 2009. I discovered her work in early 2000's and found her story-telling so unique. She wrote standalones and a series featuring the Star Cats which are funny and excellent. Over the course of her life she wrote 15+ novels and collections. So far I've read 6 of her books and enjoyed them all. I also have one awaiting my attention on my bookshelf. I'll highlight the last 2 books and also the one I haven't read yet.Phyllis Gotlieb
"Kingdom Of The Cats his is the third and final book in the Starcats series by Canadian science fiction writer, Phyllis Gotlieb. I've enjoyed the series and other books by Gotlieb very much. She has a unique take on the Science fiction novel.
I had issues with Kingdom of the Cats even as I ultimately enjoyed the whole of the story. It was very complex, which in itself is not a bad thing. What I mean is that it was often difficult to ascertain where in the universe we were at a particular time and who was speaking or performing actions or who even the heck they were.
As I mention, complexity is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it can make you pay more attention to the story, which was the case for me.
So there, now what was the story about? A group of Starcats, including Emerald and Etrem and 'the twins' come to the Earth and are placed in what I presume is the Grand Canyon. A catastrophe occurs, in which the majority are killed by a secret band and they are skinned as well. The rest of the story focuses on the investigation; by the Cats, Earth police and GalThree investigators. As well, we have a situation on a separate planet, where smugglers are killing and stealing special pearls. Into the mix as well is the Quemedon being who was responsible for locating the Cats on their planet and who has influenced their lives in both of the initial stories' A Judgment of Dragons and Emperor, Swords, Pentacles.
Once you wrap your mind around the complexity, if you are able to, you find a rich, interesting story, with more history of the Cats, fascinating, sympathetic character and lots of action. Well worth trying, but if you want to, you should read the stories in order to gain a familiarity with the Cats and their lives and friends. (3.5 stars)"
"Canadian writer/ poet, Phyllis Gotlieb has written some of my favourite SciFi stories, especially Sunburst. A Judgment of Dragons contains four short stories featuring the giant red cats from the planet Ungruwarkh, the male, Kreng and his telepathic mate, Prandra. Unfortunately, the first story, Son of Morning, was also contained in another book of short stories I'd already read, Son of Morning and Other Stories, but it was still nice to be reintroduced to Prandra and Kreng with that story and then to continue with three other stories featuring the irrepressible pair; The King's Dogs, Nebuchadnezzar and A Judgment of Dragons.
The four stories could just as easily have been one novel as the stories follow on one after the other as the two cats go to GalThree (AKA Earth) so Prandra can learn to use her esp powers better and they can obtain assistance from the Federation in helping the planet Unruwarkh become more self sufficient. Prandra and Kreng are wonderful characters, grumpy, loving and just fun to read about. Each story is almost a mystery, as the two find themselves in situations that need resolution. The supporting cast; Espinoza, an esp brain who accompanies the in the first story, Kinnear, a blunt security official in the 2nd and 4th stories and others, are all excellent as well. The stories were very enjoyable and just added to my love of Gotlieb's writing. Check her out. (4 stars)"
"A mature alien woman judge sees an amphibious human woman, obviously a slave, displayed in a tank in front of a sex palace. And so an interstellar plot of murderous proportions involving many races and planets, galactic corporations, exploitative sex and horrible slavery is revealed."
The complete list of Gotlieb's works can be found at this link.
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