The Science Fiction Novel - Guillermo del Toro

Everything will be ok.. :0)

We are definitely living in unique, scary times. This was brought to my attention again by a phone call with my daughter a few minutes ago. Firstly, I have to say that she is fine, for which I am eternally thankful. Secondly, nothing bad happened to her. She lives on her own across Canada from Jo and I and is comfortable living on her own.

She just had one of those moments. She had gone out to get some groceries and the store had enhanced its cleanliness and health security measures; screens at the cash register, distance lines at the cash to ensure customers maintain the proper distance... that sort of thing. It kind of hit her emotionally when she got home. This situation is really serious and what would she do if something happened to her. It is a scary feeling and I'm glad she called me and had the opportunity to tell me her fears, to get it out of her system rather than just stewing on it. I think the whole maintaining contact with your loved ones this next while.

Yesterday I went out to give blood. Even there the process has changed. Little to no contact with the nurses manning the location. In fact, they had to find a new location as the city wouldn't let them set up in the original spot. Luckily the local CF base wasn't using their gym so the Blood donation team was able to set up there. A good thing in my mind as it was a big space and let them spread out. Everything was pretty well electronic, the check in, the announcing of next in line, that sort of thing. you still had an interview with a nurse but that's still necessary. The seats you sit in to give blood were wiped down with disinfection wipes after each use, even the blue box you stored your jacket in. All the chairs were set 6 feet apart. I left there feeling cleaner than I did when I arrived. They are adjusting their processes daily so not sure when and where the next one will be.

So there you go, my update for Thursday. Oh, I didn't go out today. I do get ants in my pants but I am learning to limit my trips out to when we actually need something.

So with that all out of my system, my latest look at the Science Fiction novel. This thread is starting to wind down, I noticed, as I'm getting near the end of my Goodreads book shelf. What will I talk about next? The mind explodes with ideas... well, not so much.

The Science Fiction Novel -Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro Gomez is a Mexican filmmaker, author and actor born in Guadalajara in 1964. I would say he is a no-talent hack (I'd be joking of course), but then I see that he's done great films like Pan's Labyrinth and won best director and film Oscars for The Shape of Water. Take a look at some of the other movies he's directed; Hellboy and Hellboy 2, Crimson Peak, Mimic and Pacific Rim. Just a few of his entertaining films. He's also an author and his Strain series is the subject of my thread today.

I've just realized that a few of my more recent threads on the Sci-Fi novel have had horror aspects. I've looked at them as dystopic views of the future. The Strain series falls into that category. It was also turned into a TV series, which I've only seen a few episodes of. I will try to watch it again. I've read the first two books so far and have the third and final book on my shelf and will finish it this year as I've added to one of my challenges.

a. The Strain (2009).











"A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Ephraim "Eph" Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold.

In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing.

So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city - a city that includes his wife and son - before it is too late." (3 stars)

b. The Fall (2010)

Synopsis - "Last week they invaded Manhattan. This week they will destroy the world.

The vampiric virus is spreading and soon will envelop the globe. Amid the chaos, Eph Goodweather—head of the Centers for Disease Control's team—leads a band out to stop these bloodthirsty monsters. But it may be too late.

Ignited by the Master's horrific plan, a war has erupted between Old and New World vampires. Caught between these warring forces, powerless and vulnerable, humans find themselves no longer the consumers but the consumed. At the center of the conflict lies an ancient text that contains the vampires' entire history . . . and their darkest secrets. Whoever finds the book can control the outcome of the war and, ultimately, the fate of us all."

Review - "This is the 2nd book in The Strain trilogy and just like the first book, it was action-filled, tension-filled and an entertaining read. The story follows the old man, Abraham Setrakian and his group, Eph (head of the CDC), Nora, Fet (the vermin exterminator cum vampire killer) and Zack as the continue their fight against the Master as he plots to make the world a vampire haven. The book is centered on New York City, although from intimations made, you know the rest of the world is also being attacked. We also get a visit into Setrakian's past, during his time as a prisoner in Treblinka during WWII and his introduction to the vampire menace. We learn that the other Old Ones (the grouping of Vampire masters) are fighting the Master as well and we get introduced to their fighters, Gus and his gang. The story is a definite page turner and an interesting twist on the vampire mythology. Well worth trying. I won't wait as long this time to pick up the finale, The Night Eternal. (3 stars)"

c. The Night Eternal (2011)













"The stunning New York Times bestselling vampire saga that author Dan Simmons (Drood, The Terror) calls, “an unholy spawn of I Am Legend out of ‘Salem’s Lot,” concludes with The Night Eternal. The magnificent, if monstrously warped brainchild of cinematic horror master Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) and Chuck Hogan—whose novel Prince of Thieves, was praised as, “one of the 10 best books of the year” by Stephen King—The Night Eternal begins where The Strain and The Fall left off: with the last remnants of humankind enslaved by the vampire masters in a world forever shrouded by nuclear winter.  Still, a small band of the living fights on in the shadows, in the final book of the ingenious dark fantasy trilogy that Newsweek says is, “good enough to make us break that vow to swear off vampire stories.”"

There you go. Take care, keep safe... maybe read a good book.

New Books, a Reading Update and the Science Fiction Novel - Jonathan Maberry

Strictly about books today. It's been a nice, quiet day in with Jo and the dogs. Jo made a nice lunch, eggs, bacon, fried potatoes.. yummy...

A couple of new books arrived in the mail yesterday. I finished reading a book this morning and have started another. I'll update those and also continue with my look at the Sci-Fi novel. Today's author is Jonathan Maberry.

So let's get on with it.

New Books
One Sci-Fi and one LGBTQ fiction.

1. Return to Lesbos by Valerie Taylor (1963).

"This treasure from the golden age of lesbian pulp fiction picks up where Stranger on Lesbos left off. Deserted by her butch lover, Frances struggles to re-integrate into conventional married life. But no amount of resolve can keep her away from a new lover, the boyish Erika who lures her back into the melodrama of lesbian life."

2. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Murderbots #1).











"In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth."

Just Finished

1. Voyage in the Dark by Jean Rhys (1934). I'd previously read Rhys's After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie (1931). This wasn't a favorite of mine.







"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)"

 Currently Reading

1. The Black Curtain by Cornell Woolrich (1941). The synopsis reminds me of Memento (the movie).

"After a slight accident on a tawdry street, Frank Townsend goes home - only to discover he hasn't been there in years. Suffering from amnesia, accused of murder, and the object of a deadly pursuit, he must overcome the crime that time has thrust upon him..."

The Science Fiction Novel - Jonathan Maberry

 Jonathan Maberry was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1958. He is a suspense author, comic book writer, magazine editor, etc. He has written a number of horror series. I first heard of him through some acquaintances in one of my Goodreads' book groups. I had difficulty finding his books. I was particularly looking for his Joe Ledger series, a horror/ dystopic Sci-Fi series about super-human zombies, biological enemies, etc. I found a pure horror / fantasy series book first, Ghost Road Blues, a kind of Children of the Corn horror story, quite entertaining. I finally found Patient Zero, the first Joe Ledger book and enjoyed very much; action, zombies, etc. I've since read the 2nd book and have the 3rd on my bookshelf. They aren't classics by any means but if you like action, action, action, you'll enjoy these very much.

1. Patient Zero (2009).









"This is the 2nd book I've read by Jonathan Maberry and the first in the Joe Ledger horror / thriller series featuring Joe Ledger, ex-Baltimore cop, ex-army martial arts expert, etc etc. Patient Zero was definitely a thrill ride. Ledger is hired by a top secret government agency, Dept of Military Sciences (DMS), headed by a mysterious personage, Mr. Church, and is immediately thrown into action with a quick response team to fight what can only be described by zombies.

These zombies have been created by a pathogen created by a combination drug expert and terrorist organization with competing goals. The threat to the US is evident and Ledger, Church and the other team leader, Maj. Grace Courtland must go into action quickly and constantly to discover the source of the pathogen, discover who might be a mole in this secret organization and at the same time keep the country from being destroyed by this pathogen. Body counts rise, action is constant and the story moves from Maryland to Afghanistan at a hectic pace.

It's an interesting story and keeps you enthralled. I enjoyed the first Maberry book, Ghost Road Blues, as well. I look forward to continuing both series. I just need to take a breath from all of the action.. (3.5 stars)"

2. The Dragon Factory (2010).

"The Dragon Factory is the 2nd book in the Joe Ledger thriller / horror series by Jonathan Maberry. If you like gunfights, genetic manipulation, monsters, Nazi enemies, etc, you'll enjoy this book.

Joe and the other members of DMS are being targeted. The President is having heart surgery and the Vice President along with other people are trying to get the NSA to shut down their operations. As well, there is an assassin killing various people who may be linked. There are two teams of geneticists plotting to destroy the world to ensure the white race will be supreme.

The story moves along at rapid pace and shifts between Joe, the DMS and the various hideouts of the geneticists. The timing is counting down the Extinction Clock. The rest of the story is action, action, action. Joe and his relationship with Grace continues to develop. The DMS teams are excellent, great teams.

The evil characters are suitably evil and the good guys are white hats. It's an entertaining, exciting story. Suspend reality and just sit back and enjoy. (3.5 stars)"

c. The King of Plagues (2011).












"Saturday 09:11 Hours: A blast rocks a London hospital and thousands are dead or injured… 10:09 Hours: Joe Ledger arrives on scene to investigate. The horror is unlike anything he has ever seen. Compelled by grief and rage, Joe rejoins the DMS and within hours is attacked by a hit-team of assassins and sent on a suicide mission into a viral hot zone during an Ebola outbreak. Soon Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences begin tearing down the veils of deception to uncover a vast and powerful secret society using weaponized versions of the Ten Plagues of Egypt to destabilize world economies and profit from the resulting chaos. Millions will die unless Joe Ledger meets the this powerful new enemy on their own terms as he fights terror with terror."

Fun stuff. The complete listing of Jonathan Maberry's works can be found at this link.

The Science Fiction Novel - Peter Brett

A quiet day yesterday and also today so far. I did go out very briefly this morning, to pick up a few items. Interesting to note that the grocery stores I've been to the past few days no longer use shopping baskets, just shopping carts. Joe's Independent Grocer seems to be using them to hold groceries for those people who either order ahead or for home delivery. The whole area seems very quiet, not a lot of traffic, not a lot of people out walking.

Peter Baker's (NYT) dog makes an appearance on broadcast 

Interesting to see the hosts of the MSNBC shows all broadcasting from home. And as Jo noted, how many male correspondents that they are talking to all seem to live in houses / apartments with brick walls. One of the nice highlights yesterday was the appearance that New York Times correspondent Peter Baker's dog made during one of the news shows. lolol..

It was also nice to see ex-VP Joe Biden on various shows today. I bet it drives Trumpy crazy to see everyone talking to Joe. He may stumble a bit, not as bad as Trump mind you, but he presents a calmness and sense of leadership sorely lacking in the current f**kwit in chief.

We had rain this morning but at this very moment it's nice and sunny. Yes, I know, I should be out doing some yard work. If it's sunny tomorrow, I will do some more cleaning up.

OK, now to take a quick look at books, my ongoing look at the Sci-Fi novel.

The Science Fiction Novel - Peter V. Brett

Peter V. Brett

Peter Brett is an American fantasy novelist born in New Rochelle, New York in 1973. He is best known for his Demon Cycle, consisting of five books written from 2008 - 2017. He has written a number of novellas that fit in between the various novels. He also has a new series of novels that follow the last of the Demon Cycle novels. They have yet to be written.

I have not started the series yet but I do have the first two books to enjoy on my bookshelf.

1. The Warded Man (2008).

"As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise--demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards--symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human members dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night."

2. The Desert Spear (2010).










"Demons rise nightly, but so has a legendary Deliverer. From Desert Spear city, Ahmann Jardir unites tribes into an army. In the North, the tattooed Warded Man denies the title. The two former friends are now fierce adversaries. Healer Leesha, musician Rojer, and abused farm-girl Renna Tanner return with Arlen. Against all comes a demon prince, more intelligent, powerful, and deadly."

Sound interesting? The complete listing of Brett's books can be found at this link.

Take care and stay safe. Make the most of your social distancing.

A Sunday Reading Update and the Science Fiction Novel - Patrick Rothfuss

Sunday Home Alone Update (well, with Jo and the dogs of course).

Up at 6ish this morning, took out the dogs, fed them breakfast and put them back to bed with Jo. I then went for my morning walk. It was a bit cooler today (still is in fact). I saw no other walkers or joggers, 10+ cars and one deer. After that I finished a book (update in a mo'), then took the dogs out for their lunch walk. I made Jo and I lunch; tuna sarnies, slices of cucumber and cheese, crisps and a couple of strawberries. I went out and washed out my little free library and wiped down the books with a disinfectant wipe. Jo and I had talked about closing it down for the time being, due the Covid outbreak, but I think if I keep the place nice and clean, it should be fine. I hope to five it a fresh coat of paint in the near future as well.

Last night Jo and I enjoyed an evening in watching movies on TCM. Well, before that we watched Kingsman: Golden Circle. TCM had some great mysteries; Bullitt, Dial M for Murder and Wait Until Dark. It's always fun watching great movies because we also enjoy searching out the actors, trivia on the movies and directors, etc. While I do this BLog entry today I'm also watching Minority Report. I think Jo is watching News Radio upstairs.

Tomorrow I think I'll take a trip to Courtenay to Cobs Bakery to get a fresh loaf of bread and maybe a few things we need at Quality Foods.

Now on to my reading update and my look at the Sci-Fi novel.

Just Finished

1. Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto. This book falls into my Non-Series Challenge.










"Inspector Imanishi Investigates is my first exposure to the writing of Japanese author, Seichō Matsumoto. Inspector Imanishi is a police inspector in Tokyo and is assigned to the investigation of a body found on the railroad tracks. The individual has been beaten to death and there are no indications of his identity.

Thus begins an interesting investigation that will take Imanishi around Japan as he tries to ascertain who the victim was and who might have killed him. It's a slow methodical approach and gradually the investigation is forced to wind down. But over the months Imanishi and another inspector from another division, Yoshimura, continue to gather clues that will help them solve the crime.

The story is more than just an investigation. We get excellent pictures Japanese culture, we meet Imanishi's wife Yoshiko, and also a group of people who might be suspects in the murder, an artistic group, the Nouveau group. Over time other people will die, either naturally or possibly murdered, some who Imanishi had hoped to gain information from.

In the end the story will search into the past and there will be a novel method of murder, quite fascinating. All in all it's an interesting mystery and excellent portrayal of a culture of which I know only a little. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Voyage in the Dark by Jean Rhys (Fiction / 1934). I've had this on my bookshelf for 5 years, about time I got around to it.








"It was as if a curtain had fallen, hiding everything I had ever known,' says Anna Morgan, eighteen years old and catapulted to England from the West Indies after the death of her beloved father. Working as a chorus girl, Anna drifts into the demi-monde of Edwardian London. But there, dismayed by the unfamiliar cold and grayness, she is absolutely alone and unconsciously floating from innocence to harsh experience. Her childish dreams have been replaced by the harsher reality of living in a man's world, where all charity has its price Voyage in the Dark was first published in 1934, but it could have been written today. It is the story of an unhappy love affair, a portrait of a hypocritical society, and an exploration of exile and breakdown; all written in Rhys's hauntingly simple and beautiful style" 

The Science Fiction Novel - Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick James Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss is an American fantasy writer, born in Madison Wisconsin in 1973. He is best known for his Kingkiller Chronicles, a trilogy that he has so far written two books for. He has also written other books. So far I have the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicles. I hope to finally get to it this year.

a. The Name of the Wind (2007).








"My name is Kvothe.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.
 

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature--the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend."


The complete listing of Rothfuss's books can be found at this link.

Have a great safe week.

Saturday Update and The Science Fiction Novel - Brandon Sanderson

Saturday's Update on Life in General

Let's see, what have we been up to today so far. It's currently 12:40p.m. I woke up at 4:30 and decided to read for half an hour before I took the dogs for their morning walk. I had planned to go for my morning hour walk after they were fed but Jo was sleeping so soundly that instead I thought I'd get in a couple of hours reading before I got up. (Ed. Note - He actually spent more time sleeping than reading). At 9, I got woke up and took the dogs for a drive to Shopper's Drug Mart. Took advantage of a couple of sales to get some bacon (yes, Shopper's Drug Mart does sell food products) and butter. Also got the senior's discount for most of my items. The store wasn't all that busy but most customers respected the social distancing. The clerks were great. All in all a super experience. Then I went to the Tim Horton's Drive - thru for tea / coffee and oatmeal cookies. Not much else going on so far, another walk with the dogs and online scanning of twitter feeds etc... I may still do some yard work but I may also just laze around. We've got the patio door open and a nice cool breeze wafting in.

I haven't finished any books since yesterday but for your info, these are the books I'm currently enjoying. And I am enjoying all of them

1. Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto (Japanese mystery)
2. The Devil You Know by Mike Carey (Felix Castor #1) (see yesterday's post)
3. Open Secret by Deryn Collier (Bern Fortin #2) (once again, see yesterday's post)
4. The Captain from Connecticut by C.S. Forester (a standalone sailing adventure set during the Revolutionary War, from American frigate Captain's perspective)
5. T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton (one of the final Kinsey Millhone mysteries... sadly)

The Science Fiction Novel - Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson

American Sci-Fi / Fantasy writer, Brandon Sanderson, would fit into the 'newbie' category from my perspective. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1978 (*sigh* Sure make me feel older). He is best known for his Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive. He created Sanderson's Laws of Magic, including the terms hard magic and soft magic systems. I have so far purchased the first book in the Mistborn series. There are 8 books in this series.

a. The Final Empire (Mistborn #1).











"In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with colour once more?

In Brandon Sanderson's intriguing tale of love, loss, despair and hope, a new kind of magic enters the stage— Allomancy, a magic of the metals."

The complete listing of Sanderson's works can be found at this link... 

Now to enjoy Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

A Reading Update and The Science Fiction Novel - Mike Carey

Occupied, I hope

A quiet sunny day here today. Neither Jo nor I went anywhere, we just hunkered down. I finished a book, took the dogs for walks and finally got rid of the branch that landed on our deck December or January. While I was in the computer room I noticed two sparrows flying in and out of one of the little bird houses we purchased awhile ago. They were hauling in twigs and stuff. I hope they are making a nest. It'll be neat to watch.

So besides sawing 'branchy' up into pieces, I also finished a book this morning while I was relaxing with Jo, the 4th book of my 12 +4 Challenge. I have of course also started another one. I'll update those and continue with my look at the Sci-Fi novel.

Just Finished

1. Summertime All the Cats are Bored by Phillipe Georget (Inspector Sebag #1). I had previously read the 2nd book in this trilogy.










"Summertime All the Cats Are Bored is the first book in the Inspector Sebag trilogy of books by French author [author:Philippe Georget. I had previously read the 2nd one but finally managed to find the 1st in the series. I have the 3rd book on my bookshelf and plan to finish the series off this year.

Anyway, in this mystery, Inspector Gilles Sebag and his colleagues in Perpignan, southern France are trying to solve the disappearance of a Dutch woman who was there on vacation. At the same time, just down the road, another Dutch woman has been found murdered on the beach. The detectives must ascertain if the two events are related, is there a serial killer around? As well, a young wife reports the disappearance of her husband, a taxi drive, to Sebag. As the investigation continues, it becomes apparent that the taxi driver may have been involved with the Dutch girl as a pimp.

At the same time, Sebag is beginning to wonder if his wife Claire is having an affair. Little things are making him have doubts. Their two children each head off on vacations with friends and Claire eventually goes on a cruise. This situation is an ongoing theme in this story and adds an extra dimension to an interesting story.

The mystery is told from varied perspectives, Sebag's, that of the purported murderer and that of the Dutch woman. It's an interesting way to proceed with the events. There isn't a lot of forensics in the story, although they do play a role. The story focuses more on the detectives, their investigation and their gatherings to pass on information and try to solve the murder and disappearance.

The story moves along nicely. Gilles and his co-workers are all interesting and the mystery unravels nicely. Sebag relies on his insight and sudden bursts of inspiration to resolve the events and come up with a very satisfying solution. It's unfortunate that Georget only wrote 3 books in this series as, while I look forward to reading the 3rd book, it would also be nice to continue with the series. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Open Space by Deryn Collier (Bern Fortin #2). I read the first book in this series a few years back. This is the 2nd and final book in this series set in the interior of British Columbia.

"On a fall day in Kootenay Landing, a local man abandons his van at a remote border crossing and disappears into the bush. Hours later and miles away another man, known to be a small-time drug dealer, is shot in the forehead along a popular hiking trail. On the surface, the two incidents seem unrelated. And yet the two men have been best friends since elementary school.

As Bern Fortin works alongside police constable Maddie Schilling to connect the two cases, they discover secrets with roots buried deep in the past. Why did Gary Dowd disappear? Who shot Seymour Melnychuk? Why was Dr. Sinclair already on the scene? Who really controls the hills and forests around Kootenay Landing? Amidst the chaos of the case, a reporter shows up, asking disturbing questions about Bern’s military past. Everyone has something to hide, and no one in Kootenay Landing seems willing to talk. But Bern Fortin is well aware that no secret can remain buried forever—not even his own."

The Science Fiction Novel - Mike Carey

 

Mike Carey

Mike Carey is a relatively new author to me, in that I'm currently reading his first Felix Castor book. I think the series is somewhat like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Castor lives in a dystopic London full of ghosts and zombies and is a necromancer.

Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959 and is a comic book writer and also an author of novels. He is also known for the film The Girl with All the Gifts (2016). He has been involved with such comic series as Lucifer, Hell-blazer, X-Men, etc. His first prose novel was The Devil You Know (2006), the first in his Felix Castor series. He has now written 5 books in this series and also numerous other novels. I'm currently about 1/3 of the way into The Devil You Know and like it very much so far. I have the first three books on my shelf.

a. The Devil You Know (2006).











"Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist, and London is his stamping ground. It may seem like a good ghostbuster can charge what he likes and enjoy a hell of a lifestyle--but there's a risk: Sooner or later he's going to take on a spirit that's too strong for him. While trying to back out of this ill-conceived career, Castor accepts a seemingly simple ghost-hunting case at a museum in the shadowy heart of London--just to pay the bills, you understand. But what should have been a perfectly straightforward exorcism is rapidly turning into the Who Can Kill Castor First Show, with demons and ghosts all keen to claim the big prize. That's OK: Castor knows how to deal with the dead. It's the living who piss him off..."

b. Vicious Circle (2006). 

"Felix Castor has reluctantly returned to exorcism after a successful case convinces him that he really can do some good with his abilities---"good," of course, being a relative term when dealing with the undead. His friend Rafi is still possessed, the succubus Ajulutsikael (Juliet to her friends) still technically has a contract on him, and he's still dirt poor.

Doing some consulting for the local cops helps pay the bills, but Castor needs a big private job to really fill the hole in his bank account. That's what he needs. What he gets is a seemingly insignificant "missing ghost" case that inexorably drags him and his loved ones into the middle of a horrific plot to raise one of hell's fiercest demons.

When satanists, stolen spirits, sacrifice farms, and haunted churches all appear on the same police report, the name Felix Castor can't be too far behind..."

c. Dead Men's Boots (2007). 











"You might think that helping a friend's widow to stop a lawyer from stealing her husband's corpse would be the strangest thing on your To Do list. But life is rarely that simple for Felix Castor.

A brutal murder in King's Cross bears all the hallmarks of a long-dead American serial killer, and it takes more good sense than Castor possesses not to get involved. He's also fighting a legal battle over the body - if not the soul - of his possessed friend, Rafi, and can't shake the feeling that his three problems might be related.

With the help of the succubus Juliet and paranoid zombie data-fence Nicky Heath, Castor just might have a chance of fitting the pieces together before someone drops him down a lift shaft or rips his throat out.

Or not. . ."

Mike Carey's complete listing can be found at this link.

Have a safe weekend.