A Tuesday Update

Hi Daddy! Still reading?

Yesterday we got a fair bit of rain and it cooled it down very nicely. We're supposed to get more rain today but at the moment it's sunny and cool. Bonnie is lying by the patio door and Clyde is beside me on the couch. Jo is at work so it's a perfect time to do a reading update. (Oh, I also cut up a cantaloupe. Yummy) I've spent the past few days catching up on some of the books that I've been reading since March and April. I still have a couple of long term books to finish and I WILL dammit! 

Bonnie avoiding her close-up... Sigh!

So on that note, let's take a look at my latest reading, books I've started and any new books.

Just Finished

I've completed 4 books since my last update.

1. Let the Fire Fall by Kate Wilhelm (1969). I was kind of disappointing with this book, especially since I'd enjoyed Wilhelm's previous read.

"Sigh! I enjoyed my first exposure to Kate Wilhelm's Sci-Fi when I read Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang. I was looking forward to trying Let the Fire Fall. Unfortunately I was kind of disappointed with this one.

The plot sounded interesting. A space ship lands on Earth. The aliens all die except that one of the females leaves a baby behind. There are other babies born to the family of the doctor who treats the lady, as well as another woman. The 'alien' baby is taken under care of the UN. At the same time, Obie, the father of another of the children, becomes an evangelical preacher, preaching against the aliens.

I've simplified the plot a bit. There is constant friction between Obie's cult and the rest of Earth, leading up to violence between both groups. Obie desperately wants control of the alien child, Star Child. One of the children, a boy, is a genius, creates things to make the world better. Oh yes, the world is in crappy shape. 

The story is written well, but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere, at least for me. I even found the ending, not quite an ending. Unfortunate as I had hoped to read more of Wilhelm's work. She also wrote mysteries and I have a couple on my shelf. I'll try those. (2.0 stars)"

2. Golem100 by Alfred Bester (1980). A strange but interesting (not perfect) Sci Fi story.

"I have read three other books by Sci-Fi author Alfred Bester before I tried Golem100. His stories, so far anyway, are quirky and strange. Golem took awhile for me to get into and was easy to put down, but that is partially due to my reading habits of late. I think I can safely say that Golem is style over substance.

OK, so what's it about? Sheesh! Trick questions much. The story is set in a future New York City, now call The Guff. A group of women get together and try to summon the devil, unsuccessfully in their minds. But at the same time a series of horrendous murders take place in the city. A trio of individuals, beautiful Gretchen Nunn, a master of psychodynamics, Blaise Shima, a chemist and her lover and finally homicide policeman Subadar Ind-Dni. They discover that what they call a Golem is committing the murders.

OK, so that's the gist of the story, which will delve into a drug that is powerful and brings the experimenters, Blaise and Gretchen at first, into some other dimension. This is described in such an interesting fashion with drawings by Sci-Fi artist Jack Gaughan. As I mentioned, style over substance. Does the story matter? Well, yes, of course, but it's presented in a fascinating fashion, stream of consciousness, songs in all languages, drawings, etc. Does the ending matter? Well, it does end. The characters are quirky, intelligent, sexy... the city is kind of like Philip Dick's portrayal of, is it LA?, in Blade Runner, but on steroids.

Check it out anyway. Bester is worth trying. (3.5 stars)"

3. Return from the Stars by Stanislaw Lem (1961). At one point I considered giving up on this book, but I'm glad I didn't. It wasn't perfect but it was interesting.

"It took me awhile to get into and through Return from the Stars by Stanisław Lem. I believe we many have taken one of his books back in my university day, my Science Fiction novel course, but I don't think I actually read it. (too many books to read in that course, dontcha know 😀😁).

Anyway, once I got into Return from the Stars, I enjoyed it, if that's the proper term to how I felt. Basically, a group of astronauts returns to Earth after a ten year space exploration. Like many of these journeys, time dilation means that 127 years have passed on Earth. The group returns to a much changed Earth. The story follows one of the space explorers, Hal Bregg, as he tries to adjust to this new Earth.

It starts with his return from acclimatization on the Moon to his passage to Earth and his 'new' life there. He gets lost when he arrives and misses his contact with his Earth contact and then basically decides to just try and adjust on his own. Terminology is different, basic processes like getting money (it seems that any bank accounts have just accumulated so I guess he's reasonably well off). He finds the whole new world very confusing and, in fact, is kind of like the 'savage' in Brave New World. Lem calls the returning astronauts ' resuscitated Neanderthals'. 

In the 127 years that Earth has changed, the biggest change is the act of 'betrizating' children, removing aggression and violence out of them. This is especially difficult for Bregg as he is filled with anger and has refused betrization. He takes himself off to a small resort on the ocean and reads and tries to find out the history of Earth while he was one, as well as science, etc. While he begins to understand, he doesn't resolve his anger. He has one of the old crew, Olaf, come and visit. He finds himself attracted to a young woman, Eri, who stays with her husband at the resort.

It's an interesting book, this exploration of Bregg's physicality, his trying to cope with events that happened on the voyage (self-imposed guilt at the deaths of some of his crew mates) and his attraction to Eri. It's a very thoughtful book, well-written and interesting enough once you get into it. I have tried to watch the original movie adaptation of Solaris another of Lem's books, but may just have to try the novel instead. Anyway, Return from the Stars is worth trying. (3.5 stars)"

4. The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag (Witch Boy #1 / 2017). A bit of fun, a YA graphic novel fantasy.

"The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag is the first graphic YA Fantasy in her Witch Boy trilogy. It's entertaining, well-drawn and satisfying.

Basically you've got a clan of witches (the women) and shapeshifters (the men) who live in the woods. The daughters are taught to be witches and learn witching and the boys are taught to be shapeshifters and never the twain shall meet.

Of course, there is a twist. Young Aster is supposed to be learning to shapeshift but he lacks the talent and / or the desire. Instead he spies on the girls as they are taught to be witches, taking notes, trying out spells. He is regularly told off about this past time. It's forbidden after all. At some point the small community is placed under attack by a demon; one of the boys disappears, then others. 

Aster and a human friend, Charlie, decide they are the only ones who can defeat the demon and that's the story. It's a neat little story. It gets going right away, has a good pace and is a fun, entertaining read. It's not earth shattering by any means but it will keep you involved until the satisfying ending. Try it. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Oxford Time Travel #1 / 1992). Yup, a new author for me. Comparing to the time travel series by Jodi Taylor.

"For Kivrin, preparing an on-site study of one of the deadliest eras in humanity's history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.

But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin--barely of age herself--finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history's darkest hours.

Connie Willis draws upon her understanding of the universalities of human nature to explore the ageless issues of evil, suffering, and the indomitable will of the human spirit."

2. Eye in the Sky by Phillip K. Dick (1957). A favorite of mine when it comes to Sci-Fi.

"While sightseeing at the Belmont Bevatron, Jack Hamilton, along with seven others, is caught in a lab accident. When he regains consciousness, he is in a fantasy world of Old Testament morality gone awry—a place of instant plagues, immediate damnations, and death to all perceived infidels. Hamilton figures out how he and his compatriots can escape this world and return to their own, but first they must pass through three other vividly fantastical worlds, each more perilous and hilarious than the one before."

3. Slaves of Heaven by Edmund Cooper (1974). I've enjoyed the previous book by Cooper, News from Elsewhere and Transit. Looking forward to seeing what this one's about.

"British paperback edition of this 1975 novel. "Berry, chief of his clan, knew his people could survive the dangers of the forest; and when winter came he made them build barricades against raiders from other clans. But no barricades were strong enough to hold against the Night Comers - huge silver beings of horrifying strength who carried away the womenfolk and were drastically lowering the human population. Were the Night Comers men, monsters or gods? Berry believed they were man; and when the inevitable night came when the women of his clan were seized, he managed to follow. He followed them to a huge tapering column of metal, which took him away from the world he had known to an island in the sky called "Heaven." And there Berry realized that he had to defeat the Lords of Heaven if the people on Earth were to survive."

New Books

1. The Playground Murders by Lesley Thomson (Detective's Daughter #7). I enjoyed the first book in this series.

"Wormwood Scrubs playground, 1980.  The wind blows across the common, and the girl in her shorts shivers. The playground is isolated, timeless. Far from the prying eyes of grown-ups, she and her friends can play make-believe here. The looming slide is a mountain; the upturned log a pirate ship. But six-year-old Sarah Ferris does not know that in two days' time, she will be dead: a victim of jealousy, betrayal, and her own innocence. Hammersmith, 2019. Cleaner Stella Darnell loves rooting into shadowy places and restoring order. She'll clear your attic, polish your kitchen and scrub your bath—but she also investigates cold cases. Stella can spend hours sifting through forgotten evidence looking for shreds of evidence the police might have missed. So when a woman is found dead, and the killer is linked to the Sarah Ferris murder, Stella is the woman for the case. But dredging up the past can be dangerous—especially if the playground killer is back."

2. The Knowledge by Martha Grimes (Richard Jury #24 / 2018). It's been awhile since I tried this series.

"With their signature wit, sly plotting, and gloriously offbeat characters, Martha Grimes's New York Times bestselling Richard Jury mysteries are "utterly unlike anyone else's detective novels" (Washington Post). In the latest series outing, The Knowledge, the Scotland Yard detective nearly meets his match in a Baker Street Irregulars-like gang of kids and a homicide case that reaches into east Africa. Robbie Parsons is one of London's finest, a black cab driver who knows every street, every theater, every landmark in the city by heart. In his backseat is a man with a gun in his hand--a man who brazenly committed a crime in front of the Artemis Club, a rarefied art gallery-cum-casino, then jumped in and ordered Parsons to drive. As the criminal eventually escapes to Nairobi, Detective Superintendent Richard Jury comes across the case in the Saturday paper.

Two days previously, Jury had met and instantly connected with one of the victims of the crime, a professor of astrophysics at Columbia and an expert gambler. Feeling personally affronted, Jury soon enlists Melrose Plant, Marshall Trueblood, and his whole gang of merry characters to contend with a case that takes unexpected turns into Tanzanian gem mines, a closed casino in Reno, Nevada, and a pub that only London's black cabbies, those who have "the knowledge," can find. The Knowledge is prime fare from "one of the most fascinating mystery writers today"

(Ed. Note: TCM is currently showing The Trial with Glenn Ford and Dorothy McGuire. Talk about topical; white supremacists, segregation, lynching? 1955 and things don't seem to have changed)

3. The Hidden Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag (Witch Boy #2 / 2018). I liked the first graphic novel in this trilogy so I should try the next two.

"Aster and his family are adjusting to his unconventional talent for witchery; unlike the other boys in his family, he isn't a shapeshifter. He's taking classes with his grandmother and helping to keep an eye on his great-uncle whose corrupted magic wreaked havoc on the family.

Meanwhile, Aster's friend from the non-magical part of town, Charlie, is having problems of her own -- a curse has tried to attach itself to her. She runs to Aster and escapes it, but now the friends must find the source of the curse before more people -- normal and magical alike -- get hurt."

4. The Midwinter Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag (Witch Boy #3 / 2019).

"The acclaimed graphic novel world of The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch comes to a thrilling conclusion in this story of friendship, family, and finding your true power. Magic has a dark side . . .Aster always looks forward to the Midwinter Festival, a reunion of the entire Vanissen family that includes competitions in witchery and shapeshifting. This year, he's especially excited to compete in the annual Jolrun tournament-as a witch. He's determined to show everyone that he's proud of who he is and what he's learned, but he knows it won't be easy to defy tradition. Ariel has darker things on her mind than the Festival-like the mysterious witch who's been visiting her dreams, claiming to know the truth about Ariel's past. She appreciates everything the Vanissens have done for her. But Ariel still craves a place where she truly belongs. The Festival is a whirlwind of excitement and activity, but for Aster and Ariel, nothing goes according to plan. When a powerful and sinister force invades the reunion, threatening to destroy everything the young witches have fought for, can they find the courage to fight it together? Or will dark magic tear them apart?"

Focus Author - Jean Rhys

Jean Rhys

Jean Rhys was a British author who lived from 1890 - 1973. She was born in the British Leeward Islands (Dominica) and died in Exeter, England. I've read three of his books thus far. They're not what you'd call enjoyable, light reading rather, they can be challenging. And that's not a bad thing, eh? I'll provide my reviews of the books I've read and the synopsis of the one I have on order.

1. After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie (1930).

"This was my first exposure to Jean Rhys writing. She also wrote Wide Sargasso Sea. So having said this, I had no inkling what to expect when I began the book, was it a romance maybe? What spectrum would it fall into? I think I can safely say it wasn't a Romance. It's a short, concise story dealing with a two-week (or so) period in the life of Julia. There is a bit of a back story; she has been in Paris for a number of years, having left England and her husband after the death of their child. She has travelled around Europe and finally settled in Paris and after a time become involved with Mr. Mackenzie. She lives on a monthly compensation from Mr. Mackenzie, after he wishes the relationship to be terminated. The story finds her in a small room, depressed, downtrodden, discovering that this allowance will now cease.  After a confrontation with the man, the Mr. Mackenzie in the title, she decides to go to London, to reconcile with her mother and sister, maybe to restart her life? That's the gist of the story. Rhys has a concise writing style and a nice flow to her story. It's a grim story at times; Julia wonders where her life is going, has encounters with a man she met in Paris, with her sister and others. Did I enjoy the story? Did I learn anything from the story? I think it was interesting, a new style and writer for me. I do have others by Rhys on my bookshelf and I would like to explore her writing more. (3.5 stars)"

2. Voyage in the Dark (1934).

"Voyage in the Dark| is the 2nd story by Jean Rhys that I've read. It is a moody, depressing tale. Anna is an eighteen year old girl who has moved to London from a Caribbean island. She has worked as a chorus girl, traveling around England and then finds herself a male companion. The story is set 1913 / 1914. 

Anna seems to wander through life, managing to survive somehow. She doesn't seem to work but gets money from Walter. She moves from apartment to apartment, is abandoned by Walter, finds company with other men. Eventually she gets pregnant by one of her male friends. 

It's all very sparsely told, Rhys moves from London and the present to Anna's life as a child in her home. You don't really find a lot out about her. I don't know. I found it difficult to relate to the story or the characters. I did feel that I'm glad I didn't grow up at that time. I have one more of Rhys's books, Wide Sargasso Sea, which is her most acclaimed book, I believe. I'm not sure what to make of Voyage in the Dark, though. (3.5 stars)"

3. Wide Sargasso Sea (1966).

"Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) is the 3rd book I've read by Jean Rhys. I can't say she is one of my favorite authors but she has a unique style. Wide Sargasso Sea is a period piece, set in the Caribbean Islands. It follows Annette, who is also the lady in the tower in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. 

The story is told in three parts; the first is narrated by Annette and follows her life from childhood until she is introduced to Rochester (not named in the book); the second is narrated by Rochester, describing his marriage and their life at their honeymoon home near a town called Massacre; the third part has moved to England and Rochester's home and is narrated first by Grace Poole (the nurse) and finally by Annette.

It's a fascinating story, often harsh and depressing. Annette's childhood is actually quite terrifying, her mother alone with a sick boy and a young girl and being harassed by Negro population and also looked down upon by the English population. It's a period I'm not familiar with set after the Emancipation Act of 1833, when the Negro slaves were freed in the Caribbean Islands. It's a period of transition and Annette and her mother do not fit into any group. Annette's mother was a Creole women who had married a white Englishman, meaning she didn't fit into any group. It makes her life harsh and ultimately there is a tragic event. (You read it). Annette ultimately is married off to Rochester and we follow that part of her life, also tragic.

Reading the story made me think of the current situation in the US with the BLM movement. Wide Sargasso Sea is only peripherally related but the underlying issue of race made it especially topical. The story has a dark tone throughout. The different narrative perspectives makes it interesting and at times difficult to follow. But the story does draw you in and it can be difficult to put down. (4 stars)"

4. Jean Rhys Letters 1931 - 1966 (1984).

"In her will, Jean Rhys expressed a wish that no biography should be written unless authorized during her lifetime. Following her death, her literary executor was approached frequently with requests for permission to write "an official life". Finally he decided that, by compiling a volume of letters, authentic biographical information would be provided. But as the collection grew, the biographical aspect took on a secondary importance as the self-portrait began to reveal the turbulent process of literary creation. The final result is a portrait spanning the years 1931 (taking up the story roughly where it was left in "Smile Please") to 1966, when the long struggle to finish "Wide Sargasso Sea" was over."

The complete listing of Rhys's books can be found at this link. Enjoy the rest of your week.