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| Borrowed. |
Wow! How time flies! Is it already the end of April? I've neglected this site. I wish I could say I've been productive but, not really. Just the daily routine, although I have been trying to put more variety in my cooking for Jo and I, even barbecuing more. We had nice barbecued chicken breasts and potatoes last night. It was yummy.
Anyway, I've also not done a reading / new book update in two weeks! Egads! So let's get right to it, eh?
Just Finished
I haven't made as much progress this month as the first quarter of 2024. I've completed 4 books since my last update. I hope to finish at least one more before end month, maybe two with a bit of perseverance.
1.
Lightfall: The Dark Times by
Tim Probert (Lightfall #3 / 2024). Excellent series so far. It'll probably be another year before we get back to it.
"Here is the good and the bad of reading Lightfall: The Dark Times, the 3rd and most recent of the Lightfall series by Tim Probert. The good - I got to catch up with Bea and Cad, the Galdurian in their adventures on the planet Irpa as they race across country to try and find the sun. The bad - Now I have to wait for #4 to come out so I can see what happens next. As Charlie Brown would have said, AUGH!!
As always, like the 1st two books, it's a wonderfully drawn, fast-paced story, filled with fascinating characters and creatures. It's sometimes confusing, especially the very beginning, but it quickly made sense as the survivors of the battle Rinn make a mad dash across the planet in the dark to try and get to hoped for safety in Baihle. They must battle the Shades and other creatures of the darkness. Bea and Cad are somewhat estranged, as Bea is exhausted, trying to learn the magic of talking to the land; plants and stones, etc. Cad is despondent as he blames himself for causing the darkness and also due to his belief that he might be the last of the Galdurians.
As well, Bea and Cad, along with other friends, will soon have to split up with the rest of the survivors, as the will be heading southwest to the City of Knowledge to try and find clues to discovering the location of the Sun, or how to get it back.
It's such a neat story and Cad and Bea are wonderful characters as are Soot, the flying dog, Grandpa, the pig wizard and even the little cat... oh and the yoda type wizard teaching Bea... Kipp? Anyway, the artwork is super, dark when it needs to be, bright when it does that and the characters are wonderfully presented. Try the series, it's great so far. And hurry up with #4! (4.0 stars)"
2.
Unnatural Causes by
P.D. James (Adam Dalgliesh #3 / 1967). An excellent crime series.
"Unnatural Causes by P.D. James is the 3rd book in the Adam Dalgliesh mystery series. I've read a couple of others our of sequence but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the books. This book, like the others I've read, was so smartly and well - written. It wasn't favorite though.
Dalgliesh is taking a vacation. Once or twice a year he goes to visit his aunt, his only relative, on the Suffolk coast; partly just to decompress from a case he was working on and also, in this case, to sort out his feelings for his girlfriend. Does he or does he not want to marry the lady. Unfortunately, this visit will be interrupted by a dead body.
His aunt, Jane Dalgliesh, lives in an isolated community of writers and artistes. They tend to go their for peace and quiet. But, as I mentioned, this weekend will be disrupted by a body and also by a torrential storm. The body is discovered in a boat which floated to shore. Oddly, the man has had his hands cut off. It turns out the body is one Maurice Seton, a famed mystery writer who lives right next to Dalgliesh's aunt. We see the 'culprit' placing the body in boat at the very beginning so it's not a surprise to we readers. But there are some surprising things that seem to take place that present various suspects. What did the man and woman bury on the shore? Why was Latham suspiciously watching Dalgliesh?
To be fair, this is not Dalgliesh's case. It's that of the local cop, one Inspector Reckless. Dalgliesh is somewhat frustrated that he's not asked to take over but also sort of angry that he's subordinated to the investigation. It seems the corpse may have died of natural causes (surprising, since the title is Unnatural Causes eh?) but why were the hands removed? Where did he die?
It's an interesting story, filled with a cast of suspicious, nosey characters. PD James can spin a yarn. It moves sort of slowly and methodically until Dalgliesh visits London and the storm erupts on the coast. Lots of action then.... But in my mind, the story winds down sort of anti climactically, sort of satisfying but also kind of shoulder shrugging. Maybe because we don't have the benefit of Dalgliesh's team involvement. At any rate, it's still entertaining and it's always good to visit P.D. James' world. (3.5 stars)"
3.
Tank Girl: The Gifting by
Alan C. Martin (Tank Girl #6 / 2005). It's always fun to enter the weird and wonderful world of Tank Girl.
"Tank Girl: The Gifting is listed as the 6th book in the Tank Girl graphic novel collection by Alan C. Martin. It was published in 2007 and was the first new Tank Girl material since 1996. It contains stories like The Dogsh*t in Barney's Handbag, Kill Jumbo, The Innocent Die First, XZ-38 and Under Milk Tits. Like all of the other Tank Girl graphics I've read, it's irreverent, funny, sort of sexy and filled with excellent artwork, this time by Ashley Wood and Rufus Dayglo.
There are also bios of all of the characters; Tank Girl, her boyfriend, mad kangaroo Booga, and her pals, Jet Girl, Barney and Jackie. The stories run the gamut, battles with angry hotel guests, mad coppers and then just normal fun and games. It's always a wild ride and pure entertainment.
It depends what you want from a story but if you just want to sink into their unique world and escape for a day or a few hours, Tank Girl is always an excellent option. 'Luverly jubbles'... (3.0 stars)"
4.
The Ministry for the Future by
Kim Stanley Robinson (2020). It took a bit to get into but it was an excellent look at the future, one with a bit of hope.
"The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson is my first book by this author. I've had 2312 on my bookshelf for awhile now but have been somewhat intimidated by the size. I can't remember if I bought it because I saw that Barack Obama recommended it or if I bought it before. In my vanity, I'll go with the latter. I am a trend setter, dontcha know.
Anyway, to the book. The story starts with Frank May, living in India, helping the poor. While there, the country, especially that particular district, suffers a heat wave of such extreme that thousands and thousands die Frank survives but is never the same, a kind of PTSD. India decides to take action to prevent such a disaster again; I think some sort of cloud seeding. While the rest of the world frowns on this action, they still wait to see the result. Will it help reduce the carbon footprint. As a result of the disaster, a group forms the Children of Kali who will take more aggressive action to save the world.
We move also to Antarctica where plans are underway to stop the ice shelf from disintegrating. It involves drilling through the ice shelf to the sea bed, sucking the water below the ice shelf to the surface, spraying it on the surface and ultimately grounding the ice shelf once again onto the ocean bed... Fascinating.
In Switzerland, one Mary Murphy takes charge of a new UN department, the Ministry for the Future. It's plan is to protect future citizens of the world, find ways to protect the Earth, making it almost a client and so many other things.
It's a fascinating story, building slowly, moving from Mary to Frank and then to other people, locations. It's a similar format to War Day by Whitley Streiber or World War Z by Max Brooks. In style, it moves from person to person, from location to location, with relatively small chapters. If you are looking for action, there is some, mostly on the periphery. Mary's department in Zurich is bombed and she must have constant security details and live in safe houses.
A new form of missile is created by Russia, sold to anyone and seems to be unbeatable. Aircraft are shot from the sky, especially those belonging to the rich. This is a protest against propulsion that affects the carbon. Planes are switched to electric or balloon flight becomes popular again. Container ships are sunk causing drastic changes to propulsion of sea transportation. And on and on. There is a question if these attacks are orchestrated by the Ministry's 'black' sub-organization.
Interspersed with the characters' stories are sections talking about the economics, politics, refugees, etc. I admit to skimming sometimes when these chapters came up, but at the same time, they weren't too technical and provided an excellent context to the workings of the Ministry as it tries to save the world; carbon coins, making refugees citizens of the world, saving wild life, etc.
As I started, I found it sort of easy to put down, but it's the kind of story that sneaks up on you, getting you more and more involved. It's not Sci-Fi but more a 'present -future'. It ultimately left me with a feeling of hope, a hope that there are people who are making the efforts to change the future, that there are leaders amongst us with the will and strength to force the world to save itself. I really can't find any fault with this excellent story. Please check it out. (5.0 stars)"
Currently Reading
1.
The Way of Kings by
Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #1 / 2010). New author for me. This is next in my Tome challenge.
"I long for the days before the Last Desolation. Before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against us. When there was still magic in Roshar and honor in the hearts of men.
In the end, not war but victory proved the greater test. Did our foes see that the harder they fought, the fiercer our resistance? Fire and hammer forge a sword; time and neglect rust it away. So we won the world, yet lost it.
Now there are four whom we watch: the surgeon, forced to forsake healing and fight in the most brutal war of our time; the assassin, who weeps as he kills; the liar, who wears her scholar's mantle over a thief's heart; and the prince, whose eyes open to the ancient past as his thirst for battle wanes.
One of them may redeem us. One of them will destroy us."
2. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P. D. James (Cordelia Gray #1 / 1972). My April focus was P. D. James. I thought it might be good to try her other series.
"Handsome Cambridge dropout Mark Callender died hanging by the neck with a faint trace of lipstick on his mouth. When the official verdict is suicide, his wealthy father hires fledgling private investigator Cordelia Gray to find out what led him to self-destruction. What she discovers instead is a twisting trail of secrets and sins, and the strong scent of murder. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman introduces P. D. James's courageous but vulnerable young detective, Cordelia Gray, in a top-rated puzzle of peril that holds you all the way"
3. How to Stand up to a Dictator: The Fight for out Future by Maria A. Ressa (2022). I saw the author on Stephen Colbert. She was fascinating and the book sounded interesting.
"From the recipient of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, an impassioned and inspiring memoir of a career spent holding power to account.
Maria Ressa is one of the most renowned international journalists of our time. For decades, she challenged corruption and malfeasance in her native country, the Philippines, on its rocky path from an authoritarian state to a democracy. As a reporter from CNN, she transformed news coverage in her region, which led her in 2012 to create a new and innovative online news organization, Rappler. Harnessing the emerging power of social media, Rappler crowdsourced breaking news, found pivotal sources and tips, harnessed collective action for climate change, and helped increase voter knowledge and participation in elections.
But by their fifth year of existence, Rappler had gone from being lauded for its ideas to being targeted by the new Philippine government, and made Ressa an enemy of her country's most powerful man: President Duterte. Still, she did not let up, tracking government seeded disinformation networks which spread lies to its own citizens laced with anger and hate. Hounded by the state and its allies using the legal system to silence her, accused of numerous crimes, and charged with cyberlibel for which she was found guilty, Ressa faces years in prison and thousands in fines.
There is another adversary Ressa is battling. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is also the story of how the creep towards authoritarianism, in the Philippines and around the world, has been aided and abetted by the social media companies. Ressa exposes how they have allowed their platforms to spread a virus of lies that infect each of us, pitting us against one another, igniting, even creating, our fears, anger, and hate, and how this has accelerated the rise of authoritarians and dictators around the world. She maps a network of disinformation--a heinous web of cause and effect--that has netted the globe: from Duterte's drug wars to America's Capitol Hill; Britain's Brexit to Russian and Chinese cyber-warfare; Facebook and Silicon Valley to our own clicks and votes.
Democracy is fragile. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is an urgent cry for Western readers to recognize and understand the dangers to our freedoms before it is too late. It is a book for anyone who might take democracy for granted, written by someone who never would. And in telling her dramatic and turbulent and courageous story, Ressa forces readers to ask themselves the same question she and her colleagues ask every day: What are you willing to sacrifice for the truth?"
New Books
Five new books since my last update. 😃😁
1.
The Last Colony by
John Scalzi (Old Man's War #3 / 2007) I plan to finally start this series this year!
"Retired from his fighting days, John Perry is now village ombudsman for a human colony on distant Huckleberry. With his wife, former Special Forces warrior Jane Sagan, he farms several acres, adjudicates local disputes, and enjoys watching his adopted daughter grow up.
That is, until his and Jane's past reaches out to bring them back into the game--as leaders of a new human colony, to be peopled by settlers from all the major human worlds, for a deep political purpose that will put Perry and Sagan back in the thick of interstellar politics, betrayal, and war."
2. The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call by Robin Hathaway (Dr. Fenimore #2 / 2000).
"Emily and Judith Pancoast, elderly sisters, are the owners of a priceless dollhouse that is an exact replica of their Victorian home in a small seaside resort near Philadelphia. The dollhouse is inhabited by dolls that the sisters crafted to resemble each member of their family.
On Thanksgiving Day, just before relatives arrive for dinner, Emily Pancoast discovers that the dollhouse dining room table, set in miniature of the real one, is in total disarray and the doll representing their niece Pamela is lying facedown in her dessert plate. When Pamela's death soon follows, the sisters turn to the physician detective, Dr. Andrew Fenimore."
3. The Three - Body Problem by Cixin Liu (Remembrance of Earth's Past #1 / 2006). It looked interesting on the store's shelf and also sounded interesting.
"The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience this multiple award winning phenomenon from China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.
Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision"
4. The Future by Catherine Leroux (2020).
"In an alternate history in which the French never surrendered Detroit, children protect their own kingdom in the trees.
In an alternate history of Detroit, the Motor City was never surrendered to the US. Its residents deal with pollution, poverty, and the legacy of racism—and strange and magical things are happening: children rule over their own kingdom in the trees and burned houses regenerate themselves. When Gloria arrives looking for answers and her missing granddaughters, at first she finds only a hungry mouse in the derelict home where her daughter was murdered. But the neighbours take pity on her and she turns to their resilience and impressive gardens for sustenance.
When a strange intuition sends Gloria into the woods of Parc Rouge, where the city’s orphaned and abandoned children are rumored to have created their own society, she can’t imagine the strength she will find. A richly imagined story of community and a plea for persistence in the face of our uncertain future, The Future is a lyrical testament to the power we hold to protect the people and places we love—together."
5. The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear (2023). Winspear also writes the Maisie Dobbs mystery series.
"Instant New York Times and National Bestseller, Now in Paperback The White Lady introduces yet another extraordinary heroine from Jacqueline Winspear, creator of the best-selling Maisie Dobbs series. This heart-stopping novel, set in Post WWII Britain in 1947, follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White—veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity—when she is drawn back into the world of menace she has been desperate to leave behind. A reluctant ex-spy with demons of her own, Elinor finds herself facing down one of the most dangerous organized crime gangs in London, ultimately exposing corruption from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government. The private, quiet “Miss White" as Elinor is known, lives in a village in rural Kent, England, and to her fellow villagers seems something of an enigma. Well she might, as Elinor occupies a "grace and favor" property, a rare privilege offered to faithful servants of the Crown for services to the nation. But the residents of Shacklehurst have no way of knowing how dangerous Elinor's war work had been, or that their mysterious neighbor is haunted by her past. It will take Susie, the child of a young farmworker, Jim Mackie and his wife, Rose, to break through Miss White's icy demeanor—but Jim has something in common with Elinor. He, too, is desperate to escape his past. When the powerful Mackie crime family demands a return of their prodigal son for an important job, Elinor assumes the task of protecting her neighbors, especially the bright-eyed Susie. Yet in her quest to uncover the truth behind the family’s pursuit of Jim, Elinor unwittingly sets out on a treacherous path — yet it is one that leads to her freedom."
Women Authors whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Sherri S. Tepper
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| Sherri S. Tepper |
American author Sherri S. Tepper lived from 1929 - 2016 and was noted as a writer of feminist Science Fiction, although she also wrote mysteries and horror stories. I have so far read one of her standalone works. It was excellent. I also have 3 more of her stories awaiting my attention. Let's look at them all.
1. The Gate to Women's Country (1987). One of her standalones.
"Since the flames died three hundred years ago, human civilization has evolved into a dual Women’s Country, where walled towns enclose what’s left of past civilization, nurtured by women and a few nonviolent men; and the adjacent garrisons where warrior men live—the lost brothers, sons, and lovers of those in Women’s Country.
Two societies. Two competing dreams. Two ways of life, kept apart by walls stronger than stone. And yet there is a gate between them. . . ."
2. A Plague of Angels (Plague of Angels #1 / 1993).
"Atop a twisting, canyon-climbing road, a witch lurks in a fortress built strong to keep out dragons and ogres. In another part of the countryside, a young orphan is maturing into a beautiful woman in the enchanted village that is her home. Somewhere nearby, a young man is seeking adventure after running away from his family's small farm. Suddenly a strange and terrible prophecy sets off a chain of events that will bring these three together in the heroic, romantic, and thrilling tale of an age-old battle."
"Sheri S. Tepper is a new author for me. Shadow's End is one of her standalone Sci-Fi novels, published originally in 1994. How to describe this intricate, fascinating story? Well, let's see.
(Ed. Note - apologies in advance for any misspelling of characters' names. It is Sci-Fi after all) The story for the most part is narrated by Saluez, a woman on the planet of Dinadh. She fleshes out many of the gaps in the story. The story also follows two other women; Lutha Tallstaff, sent to Dinadh along with her strange son, Leely, to try to discover more about a threat to mankind, the Ularians, who seem to be destroying human life on other planets in the Hermes sector; and Snark, a Shadow, who is sent as part of a team of Shadows to the planet of Perdur Alas, also in the Hermes sector, where the human science group have disappeared, presumably by the self-same Ularians.
Confused? Well, like so many rich, detailed Sci-Fi novels, it takes time to get into this story, the characters, the life on the various planets, everything. But as you try to understand what is going on, you find a fascinating story with characters who you will find yourself drawn to and feeling for, and with themes that strike home. Mankind ruled by the Fastigats and Firsters, has spread out into space, inhabiting planets, covering them in domes, removing all other animal life (basically creating a gene pool for later use) and establishing primacy of human life. On some planets there are still some animals. Dinadh has a form of oxen, beasts of burden and some wild life.
There are other forms of life on Dinadh, a threatening life called the Kachis, winged beings that come out at night. Women are offered as some form of sacrifice which comes clearer as the story progresses. Saluea has been scarred by them and is now one of the masked women, who lives in the shadows of her hive, with other such women. She is assigned to help Lutha and her group, find out about the Ularians. The small group undertake a journey across Dinadh to the meeting place and must attempt to survive in the open. In the meantime, a pair of assassins have been sent to remove the threat they seem to present. As well, Snark tries to survive on her planet, hiding from the 'big Rottens', observing, remembering... OK, I see. It's so difficult to describe this story, suffice it to say, you need to read it and experience it for yourself.
So many themes explored, theological (creationism), man's abuse of his environment (supremacy over any other creatures), genetic manipulation, women as subordinates (this really struck a chord with me). It was such an excellent story, getting better and better as I got deeper into it. Sci-Fi permits the creation of such wonderful worlds and allows us to look at what we're doing with our own lives and world from an external viewpoint. Well worth reading. I have two more of Tepper's books in my shelf to try. So glad I discovered her writing. (4.5 stars)"
4.
Grass (Arbai #1 / 1989).
"Generations ago, humans fled to the cosmic anomaly known as Grass. But before humanity arrived, another species had already claimed Grass for its own. It too had developed a culture… Now a deadly plague is spreading across the stars, leaving no planet untouched, save for Grass. But the secret of the planet’s immunity hides a truth so shattering it could mean the end of life itself."
If any of these stories pique your interest, you can see Tepper's full catalogue at this link.
Enjoy your weekend and the rest of the month. Take care.
