It's Father's Day so Time for a Reading Update

Dad had the best lap to lie on, right Jenn?

Firstly, I want to wish my Dad a Happy Father's Day! Love you, Dad!

Jo is having her afternoon nap so I thought I'd take this opportunity to do a quick book update. Alright!

Completed Books

1.  Shotgun by Ed McBain (87th Precinct #23 / 1963). A favorite police procedural series.

"If you like a good police procedural type mystery, the 87th Precinct series is one for you. Shotgun is the 23rd book in this entertaining series by Ed McBain and no, I haven't read the 23 books. I've read out of order somewhat with this one as it fit into one of my reading challenges. While there are personal features in the lives of the featured cops that might be missed, their back stories are told enough in the particular book that you aren't missing anything.

The 87th Precinct is a police precinct in an unnamed US city. It follows the cops that work there. As far as I can tell, it's not always the same cops in a particular story, there do seem to be some main ones. In this case, you've got Detectives Kling and Carella handling the main case and the night shift, Meyers and Hawes handling the other case.

Kling arrives on the scene of a nasty double murder, a man and a woman murdered by shotgun blast, two each to the head. (Note. The crimes can be violent but they aren't sensationalized. Everything is quite matter of fact). The main story follows this investigation as well as the lives of the two cops. (Oh, it's close to Hallowe'en) The other crime is the murder of a woman in her apartment. She has been stabbed and murdered with a knife in her home.

So that's the main premise and we basically follow the cops as the move around the city, living their lives, sorting out clues to the crimes, interrogating people, gathering facts, etc. It all sounds mundane and maybe it is. But McBain turns it into a fascinating story. His description never wastes a word. You can picture the city, the people, their lives. He is a great story teller.

I kind of had the main mystery figured out but that really didn't matter. I still wanted to see if I was correct and how the cops got there. The 2nd murder resolution was kind of neat. It's just a nice page turner, a well written, well crafted story. I've read 3 or 4 now and enjoyed them all very much. (4.0 stars)"

2. The Blotting Book by E.F. Benson (Mys / 1908). A new author for me.

"The Blotting Book, originally published in 1908, was my first exposure to English writer, E.F.  Benson, who lived from 1867 - 1940. It was one of the early mystery novels. It appears that Benson only wrote a couple in this genre amongst his other works. 

It's a pretty simple story, actually, no fuss, no bother, just an entertaining, descriptive, quick little story. A young man, Morris Asheton is about to inherit his estate, having attained 25 years of age, or soon anyway. He is very excited as he is about to propose to a lovely young lady. However, his solicitors, Mr. Taynton and Mr. Mills, have been mucking about a bit with his money and he doesn't actually have as much as he thinks.

Between the two, they have a bit of a plot to fix things. Mills has put about some scandalous words about Morris to his fiancé's father that has put a damper on the whole wedding idea. And Mills also is black mailing Taynton about his fiddling with Morris's future money.

Lots of anguish, especially from Morris, who wants to deal harshly with Mills and also by Taynton, who needs to recoup his financial losses and also somehow deal with Mills' threats. In the midst of all this, a horrendous storm hits the Brighton / Falmer area. Mills, who is supposed to return from his London office on that night, doesn't make it home.

Eventually, his body is discovered and in the investigation Morris is charged with the murder and a trial is held. I'll leave it there. This isn't really spoilers as it's pretty well all mentioned in the brief synopsis. 

Benson is a bit of a flowery writer but still entertaining. He's an excellent observer of settings and characters and presents an interesting story. At times it seemed a bit overblown but I still enjoyed the set-up, the mystery and the ultimate solution. He doesn't develop the characters over much, just enough to give you a flavor of them, enough to help you ascertain their reasoning and motives. All in all, a nice short, satisfying mystery. (I've ordered another, The Luck of the Vails. (3.5 stars)"

3. Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker (Hor / 2026). Another new author for me and this was her latest.

"I heard of Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker from various book podcasters that I follow and they seemed quite excited about trying it. So needless to say, being an easily influenced person when it comes to books 😉, I figured I should check it out as well. It was an interesting read.

Japanese Gothic is a sort of fantasy / fairy tale / time travel / interdimensional type story, I think. It follows two main characters, Lee, a young man who lost his mother when he was 12 and is still dealing with it, taking lots of Ativan and not dealing with people very well, especially his father. Then you have Sen, from the 1800s, daughter of one of the last Samurais who lives with her family in a house in Japan, where her father is hiding from the Emperor's army. Oddly enough, Lee is now staying with his father, James and Dad's girlfriend, Hina in the same house that Sen lives (d) in.

So,  there are some SOME!!! complications as well. Lee was attending college in the States and believes he murdered his roommate and that is the reason he dashed off to Japan. Sen, as a young girl, was sacrificed to the ocean by her mother, because she thought by doing so, her son would be saved from... maybe typhoid?? Sen was returned to the house by some woman who lives under the ocean, the sacrifice receiver...

Oh yes, the main 'complication'. There seems to be an opening in the space / time continuum (borrowed by myself from Star Trek.. Thanks!) that allows Lee and Sen to interact by a doorway in their room. Lee hopes to get Sen to help him find his mother's spirit. (There is a back story there, about whether his mother died (in some way?), was kidnapped, or something... which his father won't discuss. Let's see.. Sen's father was part of a revolution of Samurai's against the Emperor which was defeated. Instead of dying on the battle field with his comrades, Sen's father returned home and hid his family away and now spends his time training Sen to be a Samurai (he's very abusive)...

Got the story now? Did I mention the sort of fairy tale about the man who saved a tortoise and lived 300 years under he ocean with a princess? Ah, well, they do play a part.

So it's a complex fascinating story that I'm not sure I totally understood, especially when it came to the resolution. Did I like the characters? Lee and Sen are both very damaged, especially Lee, and it's hard to really like them. Lee's and Sen's dads aren't very likable either, Lee's because he can't deal with the disappearance of his wife or with Lee's issues and Sen's because he's not a very nice guy to his family (putting it mildly). I did like minor characters, especially Hina and wish she were in it more and there is a servant who works for Sen who is loyal and caring... 

But you don't have to like everybody. The journey that Lee and Sen are on is quite interesting. The various stories are interesting, even if there is a fair bit of violence.. at times. The twists and turns are all fascinating and the ending, while I think, to me anyway, still left questions was also interesting. I enjoyed exploring the book. It wasn't perfect but it was well-written, beautifully described and held my interest throughout. (4.0 stars)"

4. Bad Indian's Book Club by Patty Krawek (Non Fic / 2025). 

"Bad Indians Book Club: Reading at the Edge of a Thousand Worlds by Patty Krawec is a book about books, by genre, focused on books about and by indigenous / marginalized peoples. I seem to be reading a few of these books focused on books of late. Unfortunately (really, it's fortunately... 😉) they all give me ideas for more books to purchase to read. Patty Krawec is an Anishinaabe / Ukrainian writer and she presents this book in a fascinating, unique way.

It was started when Patty was asked by friend to recommend a book or two to help him better understand indigenous experience and thought. As Patty says, she is incapable of doing anything in the simplest way. His request became a twitter feed, a book club and a series of panel discussions over the course of a year, which she called 'Ambe A Year of Indigenous Reading'. Each month they talked about a handful of selected books and were invited to talk about other books.

They covered all genres; Why Indigenous writing matters, Science and Nature, History, Refusing Patriarchy, Memoir, Fiction, Horror and Speculative Fiction and Graphic Novels. Before each section, Patty provides snippets of her own short story, created for this novel, the story of Kwe, Ojibwe for Woman, more specifically Life Giver, Life Carrier. It, on its own is a fascinating story.

I just found it a beautifully written, thoughtful book with its analysis of the indigenous world and their ideas and thoughts. 

Oh, Bad Indians are "those who challenge the stories we tell about the society in which we live, because the things we believe have consequences that are often borne by others, consequences we may not see." 

You should read it to get the full experience because anything I say probably can't do it justice. 

Chi-miigwech, Patty for sharing this. (Hoping I used the term correctly) (4.0 stars)"

5. The Will of the Tribe by Arthur W. Upfield (Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte #27 / 1962). My second book in this series.

"The Will of the Tribe is the 3rd Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte mystery I've read and the 27th in the series by Australian writer Arthur W. Upfield, so yes, you could say I've been reading out of order. 😎

Inspector Bonaparte is a half caste member of the Australian police forces and he has been sent solve the murder of a man who's body was discovered in an old crater. There is a lot of discussion of aboriginal mythology in this story. one thing the crops up is that even though there seem to be disputed time frames for when the crater might have been created, there are no aboriginal myths about it. (It's figured that the crater happened early 1900s then. This isn't critical to the story, I just wanted to belabor the point).

The body is seen from the air. The local police officer Howard and his trackers head out to the location (oh, it's on the Northwest coast in the desert, I believe), assisted by the local ranch owner, Brentner and his ranch hands. Bonaparte's instructions, from his unnamed superior are to find out how the body got there, let the local police sort out the murder itself. It's all very mysterious. He's not told who the body is, just to investigate.

It's a fascinating, complex story. Bony, as he likes to be called, is a man with footholds in two worlds, the white and the aboriginal and he treads carefully in both. It's a culture I don't totally understand (oh, I think the story is set in the late 40's.), but you've got various groups. The white ranch owners, there two young girls, and some white ranch hands and the cook. There is the Captain, an aboriginal from the local tribe, who's been educated in white schools and is the ranch foreman. There is Tessa, a young aboriginal girl, about 18, who was adopted by Mrs. Brentner, and who wants to send Tessa off to school to become a teacher. The local 'tame' aboriginal tribe is run by Gup-Gup and his medicine man, Poppa. They provide ranch hands from their tribe in exchange for food and cigarettes. Then there is the 'wild' aboriginals who live on the fringes. It's an arrangement that seems to work, even if their are tensions.

So Bony finds himself in the midst of this group of people and works to get to know them, to understand their relationships and to solve the murder. Oh yes, and trying to avoid the attacks of Mr. Lamb... what a neat animal, very funny. Consider Mr. Lamb as a pool cue and the people on the ranch as his balls and you'll get the idea.

Bony is a wonderful detective, a great character who is smart, deductive and who everyone seems to like (even if they might be suspects) and respect, especially the Brentner's young girls. It's a fascinating story and case and resolved very nicely ultimately. Upfield's writing, his description are beautiful, and he presents a great picture of life in that time and in that region of Australia's wilderness. I have a few more Bony books on my shelves and look forward to continue to explore Bony's past, his life and his cases. (3.5 stars)"

Currently Reading (as per normal, these are books commenced since my last update)

1. A Fragment of Fear by John Bingham (Mys / 1965) I've enjoyed every mystery that I've read by Bingham so far.

"James Compton, a young journalist and crime writer, becomes intrigued by and then involved in the mysterious death of an older woman British tourist apparently on holiday near the ruins of Pompeii. On his return to England he becomes further implicated in what he now knows was a murder but his efforts to help the police are sabotaged by unknown forces who discredit him to such an extent that his evidence and his theories are devalued. However, so determined is he to bring the criminals to justice that he endangers not only his own life but that of his fiancée Juliet on the very day of their long awaited wedding."

2. Sepulchre by James Herbert (Hor / 1987). I'm really enjoying exploring Herbert's work.

"There is a house called Neath that holds a dark and terrible secret.

In that house, there is a psychic called Kline who is part of its secret.

The Keeper is guardian of the house, of the psychic, and of the secret.

But now an outsider must protect them from a terrible danger. Halloran will combat men who thrive on physical corruptions; he will find love of a perverse nature; he will confront his soul's own darkness. And, eventually, he will discover the horrific and awesome secret of the Sepulchre."

3. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean #1 / 2023).

"Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans; they incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet with every day that passes, the war outside grows deadlier; the kingdom's protective wards are failing; and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret."

4. Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood (Bio / 2025) Atwood is on my bucket list of authors to try and read all of her work.

"How does one of the greatest storytellers of our time write her own life? The long-awaited memoir from the author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments, one of our most lauded and influential cultural figures.

‘Every writer is at least two the one who lives, and the one who writes. Though everything written must have passed through their minds, or mind, they are not the same.’

Raised by ruggedly independent, scientifically minded parents – entomologist father, dietician mother – Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forest of northern Quebec. This childhood was unfettered and nomadic, sometimes isolated (on her eighth 'It sounds forlorn. It was forlorn. It gets more forlorn.’), but also thrilling and beautiful.

From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking seminal moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel year that spawned Cat’s Eye to the Orwellian 1980s Berlin where she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages bursting with bohemian gatherings, her magical life with the wildly charismatic writer Graeme Gibson and major political turning points, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood actors and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel.

As we travel with her along the course of her life, more and more is revealed about her writing, the connections between real life and art – and the workings of one of our greatest imaginations."

5. Talk Treaty to Me: Understanding the Basics of Treaties and Land in Canada by Crystal Gail Fraser & Sara Komarnisky (Non Fic / Canada / 2026). I read an article about a treaty about to be ratified in the Comox Valley and some of the difficulties being experienced and when I saw this book, it seemed appropriate that I should learn more about this subject. Seemed like fate to me.

"Treaties cover much of Canada. Some were established thousands of years ago, with Land and animals, and others date back to the time when Europeans first arrived in North America. These agreements make it possible for all of us to live, work, play, and profit on these Lands. Additionally, treaties have profoundly shaped the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. In Talk Treaty to Me, Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky untangle the complexities of treaties and set forth a path to a greater understanding of all our roles, rights, and responsibilities. In this accessible, clear, and concise book, they discuss:

- Treaties among and between Indigenous Peoples

- The history of treaty-making between Indigenous Peoples and Britain, then Canada, from the very beginning to the present day

- Concepts like Métis scrip, modern Land claims and self-government agreements, Indigenous sovereignty, and unceded territory

- The (dis)honouring of treaties and the role of Canadian settler colonialism

- How the creation of Canadian borders interrupts Indigenous sovereignty and nationhood

- Important insights from gendered and queer perspectives on treaty and Land

- The politics of land acknowledgements

- Reconciliation and Land Back movements

With a quick-reference timeline, maps, and black-and-white photographs throughout, Talk Treaty to Me concludes with a call to action and specific, tangible steps that all of us can take every day to support truth and reconciliation."

New Arrivals (only one book since my last update, not including Talking About Treaties).

1. The Xanadu Manuscript by John Rowe Townsend (Sci Fi / 1977).

"Visitors from the future complicate the lives of several inhabitants of Cambridge, England."

I think I might go have a snooze as well.. Happy Father's Day!

It's December...

 

Well, the last month of 2025 is now upon us. Time to try and finish off a couple of 2025 reading challenges and just read. I've got a couple of year end appointments, dental, eye check-up and I should get the car in for a winter tune-up. (Ya think!) And Jo is preparing for surgery at the end of the month. 😑😔

Anyway. How about books?

I've completed one so far in December. I'm not going to have more than 2 on the go at one time for the rest of the month. 

Completed Books

(I've completed 3 since my last update)

1. The West Passage by Jared Pechacek (2024 / Fantasy). Such an enjoyable read.

"I thought I'd try The West Passage by Jared Pechaček because it was nominated for the Ursula K. Le Guin award. I'm glad that I did. What a wonderful, imaginative fantasy story. Pechacek has created a fascinating world filled with interesting beings and creatures. It's got a gentleness to it, but at the same time there is a Beast coming and people you like are getting killed all over the place. The Ladies of the various towers; Black, Yellow, Blue & Red are some weird dudes.. dudettes.

The story revolves around Hawthorne (Apprentice Guardian at Gray Tower) (Gray Tower has not had a Lady for many years) and Yarrow who is newly appointed as Mother of Gray House. Both will head off on separate journeys to let the other Towers / Ladies know about the impending arrival of the Beast. That has been the function of the Gray Tower, that being to keep the Beast from breaching the West Passage and destroying all of the other houses. Hawthorne, as Guardian, is supposed to battle and defeat the Beast.

But Gray is a shadow of its former self. The Tower / House is basically empty and with Hawthorne and Yarrow leaving, will have only a basic few left to keep things going... and Winter is setting in!!!

Along their journeys, we'll meet so many interesting people, Frin the rabbit-eared Beekeeper at Black Tower who will become Hawthorne's Squire (even though neither knows what a Squire actually does) and Peregrine, the Itinerant Butler with his 'steed' (too hard to describe) Tertius, who will escort Yarrow on her journey.

Hawthorne and Yarrow are both fascinating characters (there is a fascinating change in Hawthorne when they assume the mantle of Guardian). Yarrow reminds me somewhat of the traveling monk in Becky Chambers' Monk and Robot books, that sort of gentleness she possesses... 

There is just so much going on in this story to try and decipher and explain logically. The best thing is to say it's wonderful, amazing and just so fascinating of a fantasy story. Rich, rich, rich. I hope that Jared Pechacek continues the at some time because I've got some questions!! (I have my idea of who Servant is, but .....) Check it out. Pure enjoyment (4.0 stars)"

2. Gideon's Press by J.J. Marric (Commander Gideon #19 / 1973). One of my favorite series. This also completes my 12 + 4 Dusty Book challenge. It was my 12th book.

"The Commander Gideon police procedural series has quickly become one of my favorites. Since then I've also enjoyed the standalone movie based on the series and the TV series that followed the books. It's nice to read about and see shows that reflect the police in such a positive light. Anyway, Gideon's Press (#19 in the series) written by J.J. Marric was somewhat familiar to me from the TV show but was nevertheless an excellent story.

Commander Gideon, head of London's CID is alone at home since wife Kate has gone off to visit one of his daughters. His other daughter, concert pianist, has also gone to take on job with a symphony that is touring Scotland. Penny also happens to be dating Gideon's #1, Alec Hobbs.

There are two story lines in this book; one following union strikes against London's newspapers and a threatened strike by dock workers. As well, there is a multi-service investigation taking place to catch smugglers who are illegally bringing in Pakistanis and Indians by sea. (As an aside, I found it interesting that this was a topic of interest back in the 70's but I was just a kid then)

Gideon will use the services of the press quite a bit in this story, which makes an interesting side story as we follow two reporters investigating the events taking place on the dockyard. We also have Inspector Homiwell diligently working the smuggling case, as he believes that the smugglers have deliberately sunk at least one boat filled with immigrants.

It's just a fascinating story as we move from one character to another, intricately tying them together and the main stories. Marric gets into the minds and the lives of each character and even bring back one from a previous story to see how his life has changed. The meetings with the press, the investigations by the reporters, the diligence of the police. It all makes up a great, fascinating, page turner and it all results in a satisfactory conclusion. Great series. (4.0 stars)"

3. Brave New World, A Graphic Novel by Aldous Huxley, adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham (2022).

"Brave New World: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham is a graphic novelization of the original novel by Aldous Huxley (originally published in 1932). I've read the original novel a couple of times, once back in my university days as part of a Sci Fi novel course and again in 2016. When I compare it to 1984 and War of the Worlds and other Sci Fi novels, I think I preferred them.

However, Brave New World, both the novel and the graphic novel provide an interesting look at Huxley's view of a possible future for mankind, one where mankind is a caste system where people are created in test tubes, the lower classes are controlled; working 7.5 hours a day, and then spending their free time inn hedonistic activities and then falling asleep to Soma, a sleep drug. History, science, solitude are all frowned on. Old things are not good. Live for today, enjoy excess. There are alphas who create these rules but who can break them, read Shakespeare,  practice science, etc. Any others who do are sent to islands where they are isolated.

This story follows one man who feels alone, doesn't like the hedonism. He takes a vacation to the Savage Lands in New Mexico, along with his current 'girl friend.' There they meet John, a savage whose mother was once part of the new world, but abandoned by an Alpha who got her pregnant then left her there. She still remembers the old world of hedonism, drugs but is forced into this world of individuality and is basically shunned by the 'savages'. John is also caught in this duality.

They are both taken back to the 'city', somewhere in England. John's mother is a spectacle and basically lives in a Soma dream world at the hospital, waiting to die. John is shown around this new world and can't cope. 

It's an interesting concept and a fascinating story and Fordham explores it with thoughtfulness and care. I've enjoyed other adaptations by him and this one was also very interesting; well drawn and well presented...

This is the Brave New World as explained to John...

"In a properly organized society, nobody has any opportunities for being noble or heroic. There aren't any wars nowadays. The greatest care is taken to prevent you from loving anyone too much. There's no such thing as divided allegiance. No temptations to resist. And if ever, by some unlucky chance, anything unpleasant should somehow happen, why, there's always soma."

And how does John, the savage, cope with all of this??? Now you've got to read the book. (3.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

(My next 3 books will help me with my 12 + 4 Finish a Series challenge. I've got two of them on the go at the moment).

1. Maddie Hatter and the Timely Taffeta by Jayne Barnard (Maddie Hatter #3 / 2017).

"Maddie Hatter’s third Adventure finds her in Venice on an all-expenses-paid assignment: report on the season’s most extravagant Carnevale costumes. Determined to land an inside scoop, she enlists the help of her half-Venetian friend, Lady Serephene, to penetrate Madame Frangetti’s Costume Atelier in disguise.

Serephene is pursuing plots of her own: training in secret for a career that’s forbidden by her family, and flirting madly with a low-born Scottish inventor in his airship laboratory. When the inventor’s fabulous new fabric is targeted by industrial spies, Serephene risks not only her family’s displeasure but her own safety to protect him and his work.

Pursued through the floating city’s legendary canals and squares, Maddie must draw on all her hard-won survival skills to keep herself and Serephene out of the spies’ clutches. With the help of unexpected allies among Venice’s underdogs, the daring young ladies just might reach Carnevale’s grand finale alive."

2. The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin (Earthsea Cycle #6 / 2001).

"The sorcerer Alder fears sleep. The dead are pulling him to them at night. Through him they may free themselves and invade Earthsea. Alder seeks advice from Ged, once Archmage. Ged tells him to go to Tenar, Tehanu, and the young king at Havnor. They are joined by amber-eyed Irian, a fierce dragon able to assume the shape of a woman. The threat can be confronted only in the Immanent Grove on Roke, the holiest place in the world, and there the king, hero, sage, wizard, and dragon make a last stand. In this final book of the Earthsea Cycle, Le Guin combines her magical fantasy with a profoundly human, earthly, humble touch."

New Books

(7 new books to talk about)

1. Tuck Everlasting, the Graphic Novel by K. Woodman - Maynard (2025). I've never read the original novel.

"What if you could live forever?

In this timeless story about immortality, friendship, and growing up, young Winnie Foster learns of a hidden spring in a nearby wood and meets the Tuck family, whose members reveal their astonishing discovery of the spring’s life-changing power. Now Winnie must decide what to do with her newfound knowledge—and the Tucks must decide what to do with her. But it’s not just the curious girl who is interested in their remarkable tale. A suspicious stranger is also searching for the Tucks, and he will stop at nothing until he finds them and uncovers their secret."

2. The Serial Garden by Joan Aiken (2008). Jo loved the book cover on this edition.

"A Junior Library Guild Selection and Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children. "A literary treasure."—Philip Pullman "My happiest discovery this year."— Los Angeles Times The complete collection of twenty-four charming and magical Armitage family stories. Includes a prelude by the author and introductions from Garth Nix and Lizza Aiken."

3. Love and Rockets, Vol. 7; The Death of Speedy by Jaime Hernandez (1989).

"The original, seminal Love & Rockets comic book series, which ran for 50 issues from 1981 to 1996, singlehandedly defined the post-underground generation of comics that spawned Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, and so many others. Now collected into 15 volumes, Love & Rockets is a body of work that The Nation has described as "one of the hidden treasures of our impoverished culture." Created by brothers Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario Hernandez, three Southern California Mexican-Americans armed with a passion for pop culture and punk rock, Love & Rockets gave a voice to minorities and women for the first time in the medium's then 50-year history and remains one of the greatest achievements in comic book history."

4. Them Bones by Howard Waldrop (1984).

"Madison Yazoo Leake, of the bombed-out, radiation-ridden 21st century, wanted to go back in time to stop World War III before it began. When he stepped through the time portal, he thought he was entering 1930s-era Louisiana. Instead, he found himself in a world where Arabs had explored America, Christianity and the Roman Empire had never existed, and Aztecs performed human sacrifices near the Mississippi as wooly mammoths roamed nearby..."

5. Dawn of the Firebird by Sara Mughal Rana (2025).

"Khamilla Zahr-zad’s life has been built on a foundation of violence and vengeance. Every home she’s known has been destroyed by war. As the daughter of an emperor’s clan, she spent her childhood training to maintain his throne. But when her clansmen are assassinated by another rival empire, plans change. With her heavenly magic of nur, Khamilla is a weapon even enemies would wield—especially those in the magical, scholarly city of Za’skar. Hiding her identity, Khamilla joins the enemy’s army school full of jinn, magic and martial arts, risking it all to topple her adversaries, avenge her clan and reclaim their throne.

To survive, she studies under cutthroat mystic monks and battles in a series of contests to outmaneuver her fellow soldiers. She must win at all costs, even if it means embracing the darkness lurking inside her. But the more she excels, the more she is faced with history that contradicts her father’s teachings. With a war brewing among the kingdoms and a new twisted magic overtaking the land, Khamilla is torn between two impossible vengeance or salvation."

6. The Sundial by Shirley Jackson (1958).

"Before there was Hill House, there was the Halloran mansion of Jackson’s stunningly creepy fourth novel, The Sundial. Aunt Fanny has always been somewhat peculiar. When the Halloran clan gathers at the family home for a funeral, no one is surprised when she wanders off into the secret garden. But then Aunt Fanny returns to report an astonishing vision of an apocalypse from which only the Hallorans and their hangers-on will be spared, and the family finds itself engulfed in growing madness, fear, and violence as they prepare for a terrible new world. For Aunt Fanny's long-dead father has given her the precise date of the final cataclysm!"

7. Bad Indians Book Club by Patty Krawec (2025).

"In this powerful reframing of the stories that make us, Anishinaabe writer Patty Krawec leads us into the borderlands of history, science, memoir, and fiction to What worlds do books written by marginalized people describe and invite us to inhabit?

When a friend asked what books could help them understand Indigenous lives, Patty Krawec, author of Becoming Kin, gave them a list. This list became a book club and then a podcast about a year of Indigenous reading, and then this book. The writers in Bad Indians Book Club refuse to let dominant stories displace their own and resist the way wemitigoozhiwag--European settlers--craft the prevailing narrative and decide who they are.

In Bad Indians Book Club, we examine works about history, science, and gender as well as fiction, all written from the perspective of "Bad Indians"--marginalized writers whose refusal to comply with dominant narratives opens up new worlds. Interlacing chapters with short stories about Deer Woman, who is on her own journey to decide who she is, Krawec leads us into a place of wisdom and medicine where the stories of marginalized writers help us imagine other ways of seeing the world. As Krawec did for her friend, she recommends a list of books to fill in the gaps on our own bookshelves and in our understanding.

Becoming Kin, which novelist Omar El Akkad called a "searing spear of light," led readers to talk back to the histories they had received. Now, in Bad Indians Book Club comes a potent challenge to all the stories settler colonialism tells--stories that erase and appropriate, deny and deflect. Following Deer Woman, who is shaped by the profuse artistry of Krawec, we enter the multiple worlds Indigenous and other subaltern stories create. Together we venture to the edges of worlds waiting to be born."

There you go. I hope there are a few reading ideas for you. Enjoy your December.

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.