A Quick Sunday Post

Comox Tennis Club

As I relax on the couch on a Sunday morning with our puppies sprawled beside me and Jo having a bit of a lie-in, I think I'll put down a quick post. Jo and I had a nice day yesterday, did a bit of shopping on 5th Street and then hit a tennis ball around for an hour at the local tennis courts. What a great facility and free to boot. Perfect time to do it as well. We had one court free to ourselves and there were two other couples using the other courts. There are 4 courts in one grouping and then two more just beside. We've been lucky to have the two on the right side to ourselves. Considering it was only the 2nd time we'd hit a tennis ball in anger for maybe 20+ years, it was a great idea. Lots of fun actually.

I've finished one book since my most recent update, an excellent mystery. I'll provide my review of that. I'll also continue with my year long+ look at Women Authors whose works I've been enjoying. Last time my focus was on Tanya Huff. 

Just Finished

1. Tucker Peak by Archer Mayor (Joe Gunther #12). I've read 4 books in this cop series set in Vermont. As you can tell I've not read in any particular order. I'm sure the personal aspects of Joe Gunther' life would be better told if I read in order but the criminal cases being investigated seem to stand very well on their own. This was an excellent mystery.

"This is about the 4th Joe Gunther police procedural mystery I've read so far and this one was quite a perfect, entertaining story. Tucker Peak is the 12th book in the series written by author Archer Mayor. The series is set in Vermont and at this point Gunther is lead investigator of a small team of the newly formed Vermont Bureau of Investigation.

This story involves break-ins at the Tucker Peak ski resort and grows to include destructive activity at the resort (possibly perpetrated by environmentalist protesters) and ultimately to murder(s) and other activities. Gunther and his team work with local police, both working undercover and following other standard police practices, to try and find out what the heck is going on.

As I said, it's quite a perfect story. Gunther and his group are great characters, empathetic, smart, dedicated and great investigators. We get into their personalities just enough to draw you in to the story. The investigation follows a neat process, gathering evidence, interrogations, done in a manner that seems logical but also very interesting. There is also sufficient action and the story is so well-paced that it's a real page turner. And the various ongoing cases are also interesting and satisfyingly solved to let you close the book at the end with a pleased sigh and then go try and find another book in this excellent series. I know I haven't delved into the case too much but I don't want to ruin an excellent story for you to discover on your own. (5.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Through a Glass, Darkly by Donna Leon (Commissario Brunetti #15). This has been one of my favorite mystery series since I discovered it in early 2000's. The setting, Venice, the characters, the great tantalizing food and, of course, the mysteries, have all been so entertaining. I hope this one is as good as the others.

"It is a luminous spring day in Venice, as Commissario Brunetti and Inspettore Vianello come to the rescue of Vianello's friend Marco Ribetti, who has been arrested while protesting against chemical pollution of the Venetian lagoon, only to be faced by the fury of Marco's father-in-law, owner of a glass factory on the island of Murano.

But clearly there is another victim who has uncovered the guilty secret of the polluting glass foundries of the island of Murano, and whose body is found dead in front of the furnaces which burn at 1400 degrees, night and day. The victim has left clues in a copy of Dante and Brunetti must descend into an inferno to discover who is burning the land and fouling the waters of the lagoon. A man is dead - but will politics and expedience prevent the killer from striking again?"

A Fantastical Aside

Each month I try to focus on a different genre of novel. September is Fantasy (see the witty attempt at using fantasy in the title of this thread.) I've got 3 books on the go at the moment and am enjoying each of them. I hope to get a couple of more in during the month but these are all reasonably long books. These are the books I'm currently enjoying in this challenge.

1. To Journey in the Year of the Tiger by H. Leighton Dickson (Upper Kingdom #1). Enjoying this. It's taking a bit to get used to the setting and characters but it's fun doing so. I'm at the point where the story seems to have taken a strange twist. Can't wait to see where it leads.

"TO JOURNEY IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER is the first in a Ground-Breaking Original Series by H. Leighton Dickson. This is a powerful, post-apocalyptic story of lions and tigers, wolves and dragons, embracing and blending the cultures of Dynastic China, Ancient India and Feudal Japan. Half feline, half human, this genetically altered world has evolved in the wake of the fall of human civilization. Fans of Tolkien, Game of Thrones, Redwall or Japanese anime will be entertained in these intelligent and beautifully written pages in a blend of science, fantasy and zoological speculation. 

Kirin Wynegarde-Grey is a young lion with a big job - Captain of the Guard in a Kingdom that spans from the mountains of western China to the deserts of the Middle East. When an ancient threat awakens in the West and threatens to overthrow the Empire, he must lead a team that includes his enigmatic brother, a lethal swordswoman and three radically different and mysterious specialists through a world where humans are legend and animals walk like men. This is the journey of six individuals as they travel beyond the edges of the known Empire, into lands uncharted and wild. It is a journey of magic and mystery, science and swords, romance and intrigue. It is a journey of different perspectives and unexpected karma and love found in surprising places. It is a journey that takes place five thousand years or so in the future, naturally in the Year of the Tiger."

2. A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor (Vol 3 of the Chronicles of St. Mary's). I enjoyed the first two books in this series very much. History, time travel and fun and games abound. This one seems interesting so far.

"Behind the seemingly innocuous façade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, a different kind of academic work is taking place. Just don’t call it “time travel”—these historians “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.” And they aren’t your harmless eccentrics either; a more accurate description, as they ricochet around history, might be unintentional disaster-magnets.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s tells the chaotic adventures of Madeleine Maxwell and her compatriots—Director Bairstow, Leon “Chief” Farrell, Mr. Markham, and many more—as they travel through time, saving St. Mary’s (too often by the very seat of their pants) and thwarting time-travelling terrorists, all the while leaving plenty of time for tea.

In A Second Chance, it seems nothing can go right for Max and her fellow historians. The team confronts a mirror-stealing Isaac Newton and later witnesses how the ancient and bizarre cheese-rolling ceremony in Gloucester can result in CBC: Concussion By Cheese.

Finally, Max makes her long-awaited jump to Bronze Age Troy, only for it to end in personal catastrophe. And just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse, it’s back to the Cretaceous Period to confront an old enemy who has nothing to lose."

3. The Sea is Full of Stars by Jack L. Chalker (Saga of the Well World #6). I read the first five books in this series many, many years ago. It's sort of a combination Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I'm enjoying this so far.

"This exciting, action-packed novel marks Jack Chalker's triumphant return to his celebrated multivolume saga: The Well World. The Sea Is Full of Stars explores an unknown interstellar civilization, stars an all-new cast of characters, and reveals fresh secrets. But of course, The Well remains . . .

After three passengers--Ming, Ari, and Angel--embark on an elite starship journey into the Realm, they unwittingly become ensnared in one man's bloodthirsty vendetta that will alter their very beings. That man is Jeremiah Wong Kincaid. He vows to destroy Josich Conqueror Hadun, the evil genius who has wreaked unspeakable havoc throughout the universe. It is an obsession that will take him to lands of demons and strange races--and into a deadly new cyberworld where humans are mere pawns of the godlike computers they have created.

But it is only after Kincaid and his unwitting fellow travelers enter Well World and discover the water hexes that he confronts the mad tyrant--and learns their universe is threatened by something far, far worse . . ."

I'm not sure what other books, if any, I'll try in this challenge but I'm considering one or two of the following - The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan #2), The Mask of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer (Fu-Manchu #5),  Summer Knight by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #4). So many options. We'll see.

Women Authors Whose Work I'm Enjoying - Karen Irving

(I have not photo of Karen Irving)

Karen Irving is a Canadian mystery writer, featuring sleuth Katy Klein, with three books to her credit. I discovered this series, like many others, in my searches through ABC Books in Courtenay back in the early 2000's, before it went out of business. Irving was born in Victoria, BC but now resides (at least last I've been able to ascertain) in Ottawa, ON. The trilogy of books is set in the Ottawa area. Irving had difficulties with er publisher and stopped producing the series after three books, the mystery world's loss in my opinion. It was an entertaining series, with nice astrological references in each. I've got the 3 books still sitting on my bookshelves, hoping there might be additions to the collection at some point. So let's look at the 3 books.

1. Pluto Rising (Katy Klein #1 / 2001).

"A solid 3.5 star rating. It reminds me somewhat of a mystery series set in Niagara Falls, the Benny Cooperman books. Katy Klein is a Jewish/ Canadian ex-psychologist who has made a drastic career change and now works as a professional astrologer in Ottawa, Canada. She lives with her teenage daughter, Dawn and her ex-husband lives in the upstairs flat. Adding to the mix is her friend, Greg, a psychologist. The four make a nice, friendly team who find themselves caught up in the 'suspicious' death of a client of Katy's, Adam, who also had previously been treated by Greg for serious issues. 

Adam ends up dead and almost against their wills, Katy and friends get caught up in trying to solve what happened and what, in Adam's past, led to his killing. It was fun being in Ottawa again, a city I spent about 20 years in, over various periods, and it was nice to read an easy, interesting story as well. I wish more had been made up about the astrological aspects of the story as the bits that were provided added to the interest. I especially wish Karen had explained the header of the various chapters and how they related to what was going on; For example, Chap one starts off Sun opposition Uranus, Moon opposition Mars, Mars inconjunct Uranus. What does it mean?? All in all, entertaining story, with interesting characters. There are three books in the series; unfortunately, at the moment I don't have the second. Will check this weekend at my used book stores, otherwise, I'll be reading book 3 next.. :) (3.5 stars)"

2. Jupiter's Daughter (Katy Klein #2 / 2001).

"This is the second book in the Katy Klein series (unfortunately it was stopped at 3 books, so far, due to publishing matters). I haven't read the books in order, but it doesn't seem to have affected my reading pleasure. I do recommend you read them in order as there are personal aspects of Katy Klein's character and social life that develop over the course of the series that are better sorted if you read in order. I have to say this has been a most enjoyable series. 

The first book was a nice intro to Katy, the astrologer, her friends and her life. Each other story has improved on the intro. The stories have moved along nicely, I particularly enjoy the setting (Ottawa, Canada) as I lived there for many years and it has been fun visiting again. The stories are mystery light, a la MC Beaton and such writers, but still, there is nicely developed tension and interesting plot lines. I do hope Karen Irving decides to continue the series as it's excellent. (4 stars)"

3. Mars Eclipsed (Katy Klein #3 / 2002). 

"I've quite liked this series. I do still have to read the middle book, as many of Katy Klein's issues that crop up regularly in Mars Eclipsed are a result of tragic events that appear to have taken place in the second book. However, not having read it yet  didn't detract from this story at all. 

Katy, her daughter Dawn and her internet friend, Flavia, are to spend a weekend at an island retreat with other astrologers, but the trip is cut short due to a murder. A very complex plot unwinds through the rest of the story, involving Russian mobsters, multiple suspects, Katy's issues, and on and on. But ultimately, it ties all together very nicely and the story is enjoyable, especially because of the family relationships, which are the core of her stories. I do hope that there will be more books in this series, it's grown on me. I've ordered book 2, Jupiter's Daughter, and am looking forward to reading it as well. (4 stars)"

Let's hope that some day Karen Irving starts writing this series again. Check it out.