Mid - January and Here's a Reading Update

Since my last update a couple of days ago, I've completed one more book, making it 4 for 2025 so far. I'm about to finish Deadly Beloved by Jane Haddam, a Gregor Demarkian mystery and continue to make reasonable progress on my other books. I'll provide my review of the book finished and the normal other updates and continue with my look at Women Authors that I've been enjoying. Oh, and the Brighton Seagulls are playing today. GO SEAGULLS!

Just Finished

1. A Deadly Domain by Val McDermid (Karen Pirie #2)

"A Darker Domain by Val McDermid is the second book in her DI Karen Pirie mystery series. I decided to start 2025 off with it because my wife and I had just watched the mini-series based on the 1st book and I wanted to read this in case #2 comes out in 2025. It's listed on IMDB but no date is set yet.

So, now to the story. Karen is now a DI in charge of the cold case squad in Fife Scotland. This is as a result of the success of her first case in book 1, which I won't get into in case you've not yet read. She is thrown into two separate cold cases in this story, both intertwined, the story moving from the present to the past as she and her squad conduct their investigation. Also involved is a reporter, Bel Richmond who has provided new evidence for one of the cases, in the hope of getting a story from a reclusive Scottish millionaire who lives in Fife.

Misha Prentice approaches Karen with the story of her missing father, coal miner Mick Prentice, who disappeared twenty years before. She is hoping to get a case file opened because she feels that Mick is the only hope of providing genetic material for her sick child, who is dying from cancer. Even though her boss, nicknamed the Macaroon, is against wasting resources on a cold case where the missing person is probably dead, Karen takes the case on anyway.

Meanwhile, Bel Richmond, the intrepid reporter is vacationing in Tuscany with her pals on their annual vacation when she comes evidence of a kidnapping that occurred around the same time in Fife; the kidnapping of millionaire Brodie Grant's grand son. She brings the evidence to Grant in the hope of being able to write the story (or book) about Grant and this event. He agrees but also demands that Karen Pirie be brought into the case, largely due to her work in the first book. (Oddly enough, once he does this he basically shuts her out of any information that Bel Richmond is able to dig up)

So these are the two cases. Karen and her DS Phil Parhatka begin to work both cases, mainly focusing on the missing miner.. But as we get into the story it seems that there may be ties between the two... maybe, maybe not. It's an intricately laid out story. Every time Karen or Bel interrogate a witness, the story jumps into the past events, which makes it all the richer. We get a great look at the miner's strikes and how they affected the communities. Was Mick a scab who betrayed his union friends to go to the mines in Nottingham? 

McDermid is an accomplished story teller, easily moving between the past and present, and jumping between characters and locations... the story does move to Italy regularly. The characters are all well-drawn and interesting. Karen Pirie is especially interesting, a smart, capable investigator, inventive with her investigations. I liked her very much. Her relationship with her DS is excellent; they bounce ideas off each other, work well together. All in all it's an excellent story, holds your attention, keeps you guessing about how each case will be resolved (if they will) and if and how the two cases might be related. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Calling Out For You by Karin Fossum (Konrad Sejer #5).

"Gunder Jomann thinks his life has been made complete when he returns from a trip to India a married man. But on the day his bride arrives in Norway she vanishes. Then the town is shocked by the news of an Indian woman found bludgeoned to death in a nearby meadow.

Inspector Sejer and his colleague Skarre head the murder inquiry, planting seeds of suspicion in a community which has always believed itself to be peaceful and safe."

New Books

1. The Petrified Flesh by Cornelia Funke (Mirrorworld #1).

"Jacob has uncovered the doorway to another world, hidden behind a mirror. It is a place of dark magic and enchanted objects, scheming dwarves and fearsome ogres, fairies born from water and men born from stone.

Here, he hunts for treasure and seeks adventure in the company of Fox - a beautiful, shape­shifting girl, who guides and guards him.

But now Jacob's younger brother has followed him into the mirrored world, and all that was freedom has turned to fear. Because a deadly curse has been spoken; and Jacob must risk his life to reverse it, before his brother is turned to stone forever..."

Women Authors Whose Work I've Enjoyed - Joan Didion

Joan Didion

Joan Didion was an American journalist, essayist and writer born in California in 1934 and died in New York in 2021. While the name was familiar to me, I never really saw any of her publications until her death in 2021 and the publication of her last book, Let Me Tell You What I Mean, published in 2021. I bought a copy at a bookstore I enjoy visiting in Qualicum Beach and have since read it and another. I will continue to explore her works and themes. I'll look at the two books I've enjoyed so far and also provide the synopsis of the book sitting on my book shelf that I hope to get to this year.

1. The Year of Magical Thinking (2005).

"I only recently discovered the writing of American author and screen writer, Joan Didion. She passed away last December. The first book I read was a collection of her essays, her last published work. The Year of Magical Thinking was published in 2005, describing her attempts to cope with the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne. Her husband died of a coronary event in their dining room. At the same time they had just returned from spending time with their daughter Quintana Roo, who was in a coma in hospital in New York.

This story is Didion's attempt to not only come to terms with his death but is also an exploration of grief, their lives together, her efforts to avoid places that reminded her of their lives, just a fascinating journey. Didion's writing is clear, focused, beautiful, at times almost unemotional / factual but there is an underlying emotion throughout. Her desire to have her husband back, this feeling that he will return. Her inability to give up his possessions,  because if he returns, he'll need his shoes, etc. Her time with Quintana, who recovered, went to LA, then had a severe relapse, is a life event that almost lets Didion hide from dealing with Dunne's death.

The story reads so easily but is at the same time difficult to read. It packs a real punch. Is it worthwhile for someone dealing with such loss to read this book? Honestly, I don't know, but if a person is searching for thoughts about grief, loss, life, death, it might be worth giving it a try. I will continue to explore Didion's works. I think next in line is Blue Nights, which deals with the death of daughter Quintana. (and no I don't search for tragedy, but I feel a need to read it). Oh, Didion died almost to the day that her husband died. Dec 23, 2021 of Parkinson's and Dunne died Dec 30, 2003. Ah well. (4.5 stars)"

2. Blue Nights (2011).

"From one of our most powerful writers, a work of stunning frankness about losing a daughter. Richly textured with bits of her own childhood and married life with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, and daughter, Quintana Roo, this book by Joan Didion examines her thoughts, fears, and doubts regarding having children, illness, and growing old.

 
Blue Nights opens on July 26, 2010, as Didion thinks back to Quintana’s wedding in New York seven years before. Today would be her wedding anniversary. This fact triggers vivid snapshots of Quintana’s childhood—in Malibu, in Brentwood, at school in Holmby Hills. Reflecting on her daughter but also on her role as a parent, Didion asks the candid questions any parent might about how she feels she failed either because cues were not taken or perhaps displaced. “How could I have missed what was clearly there to be seen?” Finally, perhaps we all remain unknown to each other. Seamlessly woven in are incidents Didion sees as underscoring her own age, something she finds hard to acknowledge, much less accept."

3. Let Me Tell You What I Mean (2021).

"While her name wasn't totally new for me, I first became aware of author Joan Didion this past December when I read that she had passed away. A short time later I saw this book of her essays in one of my local book stores; Let Me Tell You What I Mean. I decided to read it as part of a non-fiction challenge that came up for June 2022. What a great writer!

Didion's writing is a breath of fresh air. The book is a collection of 12 essays on subjects varying from Martha Stewart to Nancy Reagan to Director Tony Richardson to just about why Joan Didion writes and how she writes. In one of the essays she talks about Ernest Hemingway, quoting the first 3 paragraphs of A Farewell to Arms (full disclosure, I've never read any Hemingway). As she talks about his writing she has this to say;

'That paragraph, which was published in 1929, bears examination: four deceptively simple sentences, 126 words, the arrangement of which remains as mysterious and thrilling to me now as it did when I first read them, at twelve or thirteen, and imagined that if I studied them closely enough and practiced hard enough I might one day arrange 126 such words myself."

She talks about the importance of the correct placement of commas and the word 'and' and even 'the'. Well, I quoted that just to say that I found Didion's writing to be of the same ilk, carefully crafted and clearly enunciating her thoughts. Were her thoughts profound? I guess that depends on what you thought of the specific subject matter of each essay. They were interesting and thoughtful and enjoyable to read. I liked how in some she rambled on from her initial premise but that even then her thoughts were clear and interesting.

It was a most enjoyable book to read and her subjects and topics all enjoyable. Now that I have discovered her, I will try more of her non-fiction and also her fiction. I've ordered The Year of Magical Thinking for my next attempt at her work. (4.5 stars)"

You can discover more about Joan Didion on her official website or at Wikipedia, or other places of course. 

Shhh! Don't wake him yet.

Enjoy the rest of your week. I'm off to take Clyde for his shot and to get his eyes checked. Don't tell him, please

And a New Week Begins....

So here it is, already the 2nd Monday in January of this new year. I'm off to a bit of a slow start with my reading but making steady progress.  I'm enjoying A Darker Domain by Val McDermid very much and have just started a graphic novel by Nadia Shammas, Squire. I'll provide the synopsis for that and then continue with my ongoing look at Women Authors whose Works I'm Enjoying. Who will it be today??? 

Just Started

1. Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh (2022).

"Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program.

It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined.

Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire."

Women Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Emily Carroll

Emily Carroll

E.M. Carroll is a Canadian comics author from London Ontario. I discovered her work when I purchases A Guest in the House and was struck by her artwork and gothic way of story telling. I've since read two more of her graphic novels and enjoyed them all. Let's look at them, shall we?

1. A Guest in the House (2023).

"A Guest in the House is the latest graphic novel / horror story by Canadian graphic novelist Emily Carroll. They have written other stories, probably most notable, When I Arrived at the Castle, which I will now have to find.

A Guest in the House is a wonderful mix of stark black and white portraits intermingled with dramatic colored portions of the story. The story follows Abby, a grocery store clerk in small town Ontario who is newly married to the new town dentist David and his daughter Crystal. David's first wife died when they lived out on the West Coast. Abby is a quiet, somewhat insecure young lady, adjusting to this new life. She is generally happy but there are things going on under the surface in this new family.

As a child, Abby lived in a bit of a fantasy world, imagining herself as a gallant knight (these portions are wonderfully colored). In her current life, she begins to suspect or feel a presence in the house and starts seeing a ghostly presence; first as a drowned misshapen lady and then when she finds it too scary, as a beautiful woman. The presence indicates that she is David's first wife and we begin to start unravelling the mystery of her death. 

Krystal also seems to see her mother's ghost. David refuses to let Krystal on the dock, demanding that she stay out of the water of the lake. Mind you, he does let her swim when they go camping (all of which Abby finds very strange). The story begins to get stranger. Who is the lady who says she's living in a house down the road with her family for the summer? Why does David keep the attic locked? 

It's a confusing, intense at times, wonderfully drawn story. I have to say, I ended up confused by the ending, but how the tension ramps up to this final interaction is very well presented. A dark, creepy (especially for its apparent normalcy), building to quite scary story. I look forward to exploring Emily Carroll's work more. They have definitely whetted my appetite for their unique style of horror. (4.0 star)"

2. Through the Woods (2014).

"Through the Woods is the 3rd graphic novel I've enjoyed by Canadian comic creator, Emily Carroll. Each one, from When I Arrived at the Castle, to A Guest in the House and finally Through the Woods offered beautifully drawn and colored gothic horror tales. 

Through the Woods was actually her first published work (2014) and is a collection of graphic short stories, all set in the woods. (What a surprise) From abandoned children in Our Neighbor's House to the Lady in the Walls of the castle in the woods (A Lady's Hands are Cold), the 'dead' brother in His Face is All Red, telling ghost stories (maybe) (My Friend Janna) and what is going on in that abandoned tunnel (The Nesting Place), Carroll has a knack for making you uncomfortable and nervous. The endings also tend to leave you wondering and questioning what actually happened!

Carroll's art work is splashed of reds and blacks, eerie shadows, dead faces, flushed cheeks and blank eyes. Even her pencil work adds to the gothic effect. All in all, the stories draw you in and make you question why the heck you would ever wander through the woods alone! DON'T DO IT! (3.5 stars)"

3. When I Arrived at the Castle (2019).

"I recently finished A Guest in the House, a horror graphic novel, by Canadian author Emily Carroll which I enjoyed very much. Deciding to explore her work more, I found When I Arrived at the Castle a short but powerful gothic horror graphic. It was originally published in 2019 but Silver Sprocket released their version in 2024. 

For a short novella, When I Arrived is powerful, erotic, bloody and beautifully drawn and colored. A girl (well, maybe a cat girl) arrives at a castle, ruled by a dangerous Countess with the aim of killing her. And then this gothic horror story begins, a battle between the girl and beautiful Countess. Creepy, sexy, violent, dark colors (blood reds and blacks). She is led to the basement and must try various doors, each with their own story, each a fantasy or truth. It's all a bit overwhelming.

Confusing but it doesn't matter. Just a powerful, gothic novella. Wow. (4.0 stars)"

You can find out more about E.M. Carroll's work at her web page or at Wikipedia. She's worth checking out.

FA Cup Sunday

My lovely wife surprised me this morning by getting the Sportsnet+ app so I could watch the FA Cup games. We had gotten rid of Sportsnet and TSN our two sports networks in Dec because we weren't using them. But when the FA Cup 3rd round started up this weekend, Sportsnet was showing pretty well all of the games. So early this morning I've been enjoying all of the games. Arsenal and Manchester United tied at 1-1 at the moment as the 2nd half winds down. Thank you sweetie! 💕 

Clyde and I went out to the book store yesterday as a couple of my book orders had arrived. A new author for me; historical fiction + zombies. Sounds interesting.

New Books

1. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (Dread Nation #1 / 2018).

"Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever.

In this new America, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Education Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead.

But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It's a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose.

But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. 

And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems."

2. Deathless Divide (Dread Nation #2 / 2020).

"After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.

But nothing is easy when you’re a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodemus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880s America.

What’s more, this safe haven is not what it appears—as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her.

But she won’t be in it alone.

Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by—and that Jane needs her too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not.

Watching Jane’s back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it’s up to Katherine to keep hope alive—even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her."

Women Authors Whose Works I've Been Enjoying - Octavia Butler

Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler was born in California in 1947 and died at the very young age of 58 in 2006. She was a respected Sci Fi author, well, just a respected author, the genre not being important I don't think. She won many awards for her writing, the Hugo, Locus and Nebula awards. She wrote 12 novels and also short stories. I only discovered her work in 2022 and have read the 1st two books in her Xexogenesis trilogy. I have #3 to read this year in my Finish series challenge, plus two other books written by her on my book shelf. Shall we check them out?

1. Dawn (Xexogenesis #1, also called Lilith's Brood / 1987).

"Dawn the first book in Octavia E. Butler's Xenogenesis trilogy (also known as Lilith's brood, it seems). In some ways it reminded me of Ursula LeGuin's Left Hand of Darkness (mainly the human / alien sex component... that being if I recall Darkness correctly as it has been a few years since I last read it)

The story is set after Earth basically destroys itself after a World War. Surviving humans, including protagonist Lilith, have been removed from the planet by an alien race, the Oankali, and placed in hibernation. The aim appears to be that the Oankali will awaken and train certain humans, once again Lilith, to return to Earth and teach the others in hibernation to survive on what remains of the planet. Secondly, they will be linked in some sensory way to the Oankali, who will also come to Earth. This is a special segment of the Oankali, the Ooloi, who are bi / multi sexual??? 

We focus on Lilith for the first half of the book, her trepidation at finding herself alone on a space ship trying to discover who the Oankali are and what they want from her. She is bonded to Nikanj (the short form of his / her name), who is still a child but with her help will become a full-fledged Ooloi and then be able to mate with his two husbands / wives. (Confused??)

Lilith is then put in charge of a group of 40ish humans who have been hibernating for many years. Gradually she awakens them, tries to teach them about the Oankali, about what is required of them on Earth, etc. Like most humans, they are suspicious, of Lilith (is she a traitor to humankind, is she really still human??) and of the Oankali. They look different! Earth people must be suspicious of that, right?

It's all a fascinating, differing kind of Sci-Fi story. The interactions between humans and aliens, the distrust, the attempts by humans to escape, the links between humans and their Oankali 'mentors / mates'. Quite an interesting, at times very grim story. It ends, like most series, somewhat on tenterhooks. What will happen to Lilith? What will happen to mankind? How will we work with or not work with the Oankali as humans try to make a new life on Earth. Well written, a page-turner and a thoughtful, excellent first book in this trilogy. (4 stars) Now to find Adulthood Rites..."

2. Adulthood Rites (Xexogenesis #2 / 1988).

"Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler is the 2nd book in the Xenogenesis trilogy. I think it's also called Lilith's Brood. Not that it matters, eh? It's a complex story (series) and I readily admit there is lots I don't understand; difficulty trying to wrap my mind around the alien species. Like what's the difference between Oankali or Ooloi, or even the shipborne Akjai??? I get the gist of it, and it doesn't affect my enjoyment of this story.

The first book, Dawn, dealt with Lilith herself. She wakes up on a spaceship and is used by the Oankali to wake up other humans that are kept in stasis on the ship. Basically there was a nuclear war on Earth, destroying much of the planet. The Oankali, removed as many humans as they could, started a process of bringing the planet back to life and then wanted Lilith and other humans to repopulate the planet. This meant breeding with the humans themselves, making human / Oankali constructs. Mankind is basically made sterile, so they can't breed and create new 'strictly' human children.

So now we move to Adulthood Rites which focuses on one of Lilith's children, bred with two Oankali beings. This would be Akin, at this point before metamorphosis, a human / Oankali boy. He looks mostly human at this point. His main Oankali characteristic is his tongue, which he can use to taste and sample humans, plants, etc. It's unknown what he will look like when he completely metamorphoses (*sp?). At some point he is kidnapped by  a group of 'Resisters' who want to sell him to other human villages. Many humans have divorced themselves from the Oankali and want to live normal human lives on Earth; even though they can't breed amongst themselves. Hence the desire to have human construct kids. (Got it?)

Akin lives for a year or more with a village, a child of Tate and Gabe. While there he begins to understand their desire to be human. This will help him decide what he wants to do with his life when his metamorphosis is complete; that being to help humanity survive. And that's the crux of the story; Akin's growing up and his plan to save humanity, with or without Oankali assistance. It's a rich, fascinating story. At times very depressing as we see how humans still want to kill each other to get what they want. But at the same time, there is optimism and hope and a possibility for mankind to survive into the future. 

Akin is an excellent character and there are others who stand out, especially Tate. We don't get much of an appearance from Lilith in this story. She's kind of persona non grata with the 'humans' because they think she betrayed them. It's a fascinating look at the future and also such an interesting Sci-Fi story. Well-written, strong character development and just a real great page - turner of a story. Now to find a copy of Imago the final chapter in this trilogy. (4.0 stars)"

3. Imago (Xexogenesis #3 / 1989). (Oh yes, they also have lovely covers)

"From the award-winning author of Parable of the Sower : After the near-extinction of humanity, a new kind of alien-human hybrid must come to terms with their identity -- before their powers destroy what is left of humankind.

Since a nuclear war decimated the human population, the remaining humans began to rebuild their future by interbreeding with an alien race -- the Oankali -- who saved them from near-certain extinction. The Oankalis' greatest skill lies in the species' ability to constantly adapt and evolve, a process that is guided by their third sex, the ooloi , who are able to read and mutate genetic code.

Now, for the first time in the humans' relationship with the Oankali, a human mother has given birth to an ooloi Jodahs. Throughout his childhood, Jodahs seemed to be a male human-alien hybrid. But when he reaches adolescence, Jodahs develops the ooloi abilities to shapeshift, manipulate DNA, cure and create disease, and more. Frightened and isolated, Jodahs must either come to terms with this new identity, learn to control new powers, and unite what's left of humankind -- or become the biggest threat to their survival."

4. Parable of the Sower (Earthseed #1 / 1993).

"When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day.

Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others' pain.

Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith...and a startling vision of human destiny."

5. Wild Seed (Patternist #1 / 1980).

"In an "epic, game-changing, moving and brilliant" story of love and hate, two immortals chase each other across continents and centuries, binding their fates together -- and changing the destiny of the human race (Viola Davis). Doro knows no higher authority than himself. An ancient spirit with boundless powers, he possesses humans, killing without remorse as he jumps from body to body to sustain his own life. With a lonely eternity ahead of him, Doro breeds supernaturally gifted humans into empires that obey his every desire. He fears no one -- until he meets Anyanwu. Anyanwu is an entity like Doro and yet different. She can heal with a bite and transform her own body, mending injuries and reversing aging. She uses her powers to cure her neighbors and birth entire tribes, surrounding herself with kindred who both fear and respect her. No one poses a true threat to Anyanwu -- until she meets Doro. The moment Doro meets Anyanwu, he covets her; and from the villages of 17th-century Nigeria to 19th-century United States, their courtship becomes a power struggle that echoes through generations, irrevocably changing what it means to be human."

I think I can safely say (unless any of these next 3 books totally disappoint me) that Octavia Butler is on my bucket list of authors whose works I hope to complete before I die. If you want more info on Butler and her work, check out her website or this Wikipedia page. Enjoy your upcoming week!

A Saturday Post

The weekend is here. Jo is dozing in the family room and watching old Lewis's. Clyde and I are in the den; he's also sleeping while I write this quick post. No big plans this weekend although we will need to make Jo an appointment as she broke a tooth yesterday. Luckily no pain. 🤞. It's FA Cup weekend games today. Brighton is winning their game; 4-0 last time I checked. Yay!

Nothing new to report on the reading front. I made progress on A Darker Domain, the second Karen Pirie mystery by Val McDermid this morning. And no new books, even though I did drop into Books 4 Brains yesterday, but just looked around. Such will power!

So today, I'll continue with my ongoing look at women authors whose works I've been enjoying. I finalized my list of addendums yesterday.

Women Authors Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Leigh Brackett

Leigh Brackett

Leigh Douglass Brackett was born in California in 1915 and lived until 1978. According to Wikipedia, she was one of the pre-eminent women Sci Fi authors during the 'Golden Age of Science Fiction'. She was also a screen writer, working primarily on westerns and mysteries. An interesting tidbit for you; weeks before her death, she turned in the 1st screenplay of The Empire Strikes Back and the film was posthumously dedicated to her. She was also married to fellow Sci Fi author I've enjoyed, Edmond Hamilton. They died within a year of each other. I've enjoyed 4 of her novels thus far, 3 Sci Fi and one mystery. I'll look at the 3 I enjoyed the most to give you a flavor for her writing style.

1. The Sword of Rhiannon (1953).

"I've previously read two books by Leigh Brackett, a noir mystery, which I quite liked and a Sci-Fi adventure, which was ok. The Sword of Rhiannon is a fantasy adventure set on Mars. It seems to be a popular setting with Brackett. Like the previous one, The Nemesis from Terra, I thought this adventure to be much in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars books, even more so than my first attempt of an adventure on Mars. (Did I make sense there?)

Matt Carse is an Earthman on Mars. He is persuaded to go with an acquaintance to an ancient ruin to find artifacts, an 'easy' money maker? When the two enter the cavern, Carse is betrayed and pushed into a dark sphere, and he comes out of it, years in Mars' past; when Mars still had seas and green space. He also arrives with an unexpected passenger... You'll find out.

Thus begins an action packed adventure, where Carse finds himself first a slave of one nation, forced to man the oars of a galley. He will eventually be perceived as a god, but let's leave it at that. It's an entertaining story, an interesting setting and lots of action. Relatively light and a good read. (3.0 stars)"

2. The Tiger Among Us (also published as 13 West Street) (1957).

"The Tiger Among Us by American author Leigh Brackett. From what I've read she was best known as the 'Queen of the Space Opera' but was also a script writer; The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo, and she also wrote crime fiction, The Tiger Among Us being one such. It was also turned into a movie, 13 West Street.

Walter Sherris is a middle-aged accountant, a family man with two young children and a lovely wife. He is working late at his company one night finalizing financial statements and decides to take a break and go for a walk and get a coffee down the road. While walking down a dark alley, he is accosted by 5 young men and viciously assaulted. He ends up with a broken leg and is in a coma for nine days. His wife indicates she has received a threatening letter from the attackers and leaves town with the children, heading to relatives in Boston.

When Walter wakes up he finds the police have little to nothing to go on. There have been attacks in recent days of alcoholic derelicts (the attack on Walter seems to have been a mistake, as the 'boys' thought he was such a derelict). So Walter begins his own investigation.

Thus begins a tense, thrilling story as Walter tries to find clues to give to the police, in the person of Detective Koleski, who is frustrated in his own investigation and trying to keep Walter out of the whole thing. It's a fascinating, dark noir thriller as Walter investigates the attack, tries to find motives for the attack and analyses his own actions. What is he looking for; revenge, justification, trying to get his own life back in order? It's a well-written story. The characters are well-drawn, even minor ones like Noddy, the bartender who assists Walter and the story moves along nicely and with increasing tension and excitement. It's also a very thoughtful story, the characters are three-dimensional and there is an attempt at insight for everyone's actions. I will continue to explore 

Brackett's writing as I have some of her Sci-Fi on my bookshelves now (4.5 stars)"

3. The Big Jump (1955).

"The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett was a surprisingly good Sci Fi story, short but very well-written and interesting. I've read three other of Brackett's books; an excellent crime thriller, The Tiger Among Us and two other Sci Fi novels which were mostly just entertaining; The Sword of Rhiannon and The Nemesis from Terra.

The Big Jump refers to a new space technology that permits mankind to move to the other galaxies with no time lapse. It's all done in real time. One voyage has been attempted with a crew of five. The story starts with the return of this voyage and a break in at the compound on Mars where the 'survivors are being kept. Arch Comyn needs to find out if an old friend, Paul Rogers, returned from the expedition. Rogers saved him many years ago.

What Comyn finds is disturbing and will start a chain of events that leads to a 2nd voyage to Barnard's star. Only one of the crew has returned, Ballantyne, and he has been changed by whatever he discovered. He has not spoken to the people holding him; all belonging to the Cochrane Company. But when Comyn breaks in, Ballantyne tells him something and begins screaming.

Comyn won't tell Cochrane what he has heard unless they will let him go on the next trip to Barnard's star so he can try to find his friend. The Cochranes believe a new energy has been discovered. So there you go, another voyage is planned and sets off and something is discovered.

It's a short, well-crafted, taut Sci-Fi adventure. The characters are all interesting. The plot is neat and not too technical. Everything happens quickly, holds your attention and draws you in. A most enjoyable Sci Fi story. (4.0 stars)"

You can find her complete catalogue listed at this link. Enjoy your weekend.

A Quick Reading Update

Clyde looks a bit shaggier today

Lovely sunny morning today. Clyde and I went for a bit of a car ride; to get him an insulin refill (canine, of course) and then checked out a couple of shops; while he rested in the back seat. Not much to report on the reading front. 

Most of my graphics are stored here

I grabbed a graphic novel out of my upstairs bookshelf to try and jump start my reading and finished it this morning. So two books completed thus far in 2025, slow but steady.

Just Finished

1. Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 2 by James Tynion IV (Chaps 6 - 10 / 2020).

"Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 2 by James Tynion IV contains Chaps 6 - 10 in this horror graphic novel series. And the title tells it all, basically. Something is killing the children in the small town of Archer's Peak, Wisconsin. In these chapters we find out more about Erica Slaughter, the young woman trying to put an end to the horror and to the organization at Slaughter House in Chicago for which she works. We also find out more about the creatures that are 'killing' the children.

It's a terrifying, beautifully drawn story, skillfully depicting the town's reactions to what is going on, even though they, for the most part, can't see the creatures. Erica is trying to destroy the creatures while Slaughter House is sending her minder to cover up what is going on. I don't want to go into too much detail because it is a short graphic novel but a great deal is going on that you don't want to miss.

The police are helping the families try to identify the bodies and are themselves suffering from a kind of PTSD. Erica is trying both to keep the children safe while using them as bait... sort of. It's a scary, scary story, but so well done. The art work is stark filled with purples and reds and blacks. The characters are all wonderfully presented. The story moves either traditionally within a page and then jumps across to the next page before returning to the left page (did I describe that correctly? Once you start the story, it's difficult to put down. It flows quickly and intensely. Great horror if you are a fan. Vol 3 has been ordered. (3.5 stars)"

Women Authors Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem in 1975 (Sigh.... 20 years younger than me... It was bound to happen, eh? I am now a vintage book reader. 😏). Anyway, she is a fantasy writer that I checked out in 2022 and loved my first look at her story telling so very much. Since then I've also enjoyed the graphic novelization of her Grishaverse, a prequel to the main body of stories. Her stories are broken down somewhat differently depending on which website you check out. I guess hers would be the definitive one, eh? Her main story line is set in the Grishaverse, which is peopled with 'magic users' the Grisha. The Grishaverse collection is further broken down into various series' trilogies, duologies, etc. Leigh has written about 12 full length novels. So far I've read one of the novels and the graphic novel. I have another 4 sitting on my bookshelf to start. I'm looking forward to them very much.

1. Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1 / 2015).

"Six of Crows is my first experience with the fantasy of Leigh Bardugo. It is the first book of (2 so far) in the Six of Crows duology and a continuation of the Grishaverse. The Grisha are magical people, accused by many other races of being witches and sorcerers, as I understand it so far. 

Six of Crows is a perfect gang story and heist story. It's only weakness is that there is a second book following up on the adventure. But even that does not take away from the excellence of this story.

The story takes place on the merchant island of Kerch. Kaz is hired by one of the merchant society to find a Shu scientist, Bo Yul-Bayur, who has made a chemical drug that enhances the capabilities of Grisha. It also hooks them on the drug and drives them insane. The Merchants want to get the scientist so they can control the drug and stop enemies from using it.

Kaz is a lieutenant of one of the gangs of Kerch and he takes along members of his gang to the Ice prison at Dierholm where Yul-Bayur is being held by the Fierdan, enemies of the Grisha, so they can use the drug to defeat their enemies. The prison is supposed to be impregnable, hence the great heist story. It's a great, fascinating adventure with a great team of crooks; Kaz, the leader, his right hand man (woman) Inej, aka The Wraith, Nina, a Grisha Healer (the various levels of Grisha and their talents are outlined at the beginning of this story), Jesper, a jack of all trades and weapons expert, Matthias, a Fierdan soldier with a relationship (if you can call it that.. a love / hate relationship) who knows the workings of the Ice Prison, and Wylan, the son of the main trader and somewhat of an expert with bombs, a great story and wonderful dialogue.

The story is told from the perspectives of the main characters, jumping from one to the other as we learn about them, their personalities, their past, the connections with each other. There are twists and turns a-plenty as other gangs try to break into the prison and foil Kaz's team. It's a rich world that Bardugo has created, with fascinating peoples and just a wonderfully complex story. I have to say it grabbed me so quickly. The story is dark and gritty, but there is humor at the same time. Everything about it was amazing. I can't say enough positive about it. Ocean's Eleven meets Game of Thrones. I need to explore this world more. (5 stars)"

2. Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2 / 2016).

"Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets—a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world."

3. Shadow and Bone (Shadow & Bone #1 / 2012).

"'I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina,' he said.

'You and I are going to change the world.'

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the world of the kingdom's magical elite — the Grisha. Could she be the key setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a man of seductive charm and terrifying power. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him?"

4. Ninth House (Alex Stern #1 / 2019) A new series by Bardugo.

"Galaxy "Alex" Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale's freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she's thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world's most prestigious universities on a full ride. What's the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale's secret societies. Their eight windowless "tombs" are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street's biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living."

So there you go. A taste of Leigh Bardugo's writing to see if it piques your interest. Find out more about her by checking her own website or that of Wikipedia. Enjoy your weekend. Read a good book.

Elizabeth Acevedo today

I have highlighted some of Elizabeth Acevedo's work previously but today plan to include her in my Women Whose Works I've Been Enjoying thread. Wow, eh! But first, some new books that arrived on my doorstep yesterday.

New Books

1. The Queen by Nick Cutter (2024). I have read two other Cutter horror stories, The Troop (really enjoyed) and The Deep, which was ok. I'm looking forward to this one. It sounds very interesting.

"On a sunny morning in June, Margaret Carpenter wakes up to find a new iPhone on her doorstep. She switches it on to find a text from her best friend, Charity Atwater. The problem is, Charity’s been missing for over a month. Most people in town—even the police—think she’s dead.

Margaret and Charity have been lifelong friends. They share everything, know the most intimate details about one another…but Charity carries a secret that even she is unaware of. A secret engraved into her DNA helix. For Charity is also known Subject Six, the crown jewel of Project Athena—a clandestine and unorthodox gene manipulation experiment, the brainchild of tech titan Rudyard Crate. And when Charity’s gene sequencing actualizes during a traumatic event at a high school party, it sets in motion a chain of events that will end in tragedy, bloodshed, and death.

And now Charity wants Margaret to know her story—the real story. In a narrative that takes place over one feverish day, Margaret follows a series of increasingly dreadful breadcrumbs as she forges deeper into the mystery of her best friend—a person she never truly knew at all…"

2. The Ironwood Tree by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (Spiderwick Chronicles #4 / 2004). I've read the first two books in this YA fantasy series and have enjoyed very much. I've also seen the 1st episode of the TV series and it left me underwhelmed, unfortunately. We'll see if it gets better.

"First a pack of vile, smelly goblins snatch Simon. Then a band of elves try to entrap Jared. Why is the entire faerie world so eager to get their hands on Spiderwick's Guide? And will the Grace kids be left alone, now that the Guide has mysteriously disappeared? Don't count on it.

At school, someone is running around pretending to be Jared, and it's not Simon. To make matters even worse, now Mallory has disappeared and something foul in the water is killing off all the plants and animals for miles around. Clues point to the old abandoned quarry, just outside of town. Dwarves have taken over an abandoned mine there. And the faerie world's abuzz with the news that a creature with plans to rule the world has offered them a gift to join with him -- he's given them a queen..."

3. The Wrath of Mulgarath by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (Spiderwick #5 / 2004).

"Three ordinary kids, Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace, have entered another world -- without leaving this one! Two remarkable talents, New York Times best-sellers Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, have risked everything to bring this remarkable account to light. Five books -- one thrilling adventure -- the Spiderwick Chronicles!

Their world is closer than you think."

Now....

Women Whose Works I've Enjoyed - Elizabeth Acevedo

(I got to the end of my original list but since it took me so long to get through it, I've added a few new authors. 😎)

Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo was raised in New York City by immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. She wanted to be a rapper but then decided to perform poetry. All of these aspects of her life have featured in the books I've enjoyed so far. Since 2016 she has written 4 Young Adult novels and in 2023 released her first adult novel. She has a unique style, regularly featuring poetry as a writing style. I've enjoyed three of her books so far and have her latest waiting my attention. Let's look at the 4 to give you a feel for her style.

1. Family Lore (2023).

"Flor has a gift: she can predict, to the day, when someone will die. So when she decides she wants a living wake—a party to bring her family and community together to celebrate the long life she’s led—her sisters are surprised. Has Flor foreseen her own death, or someone else’s? Does she have other motives? She refuses to tell her sisters, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila.

But Flor isn’t the only person with secrets. Matilde has tried for decades to cover the extent of her husband’s infidelity, but she must now confront the true state of her marriage. Pastora is typically the most reserved sister, but Flor’s wake motivates this driven woman to solve her sibling’s problems. Camila is the youngest sibling, and often the forgotten one, but she’s decided she no longer wants to be taken for granted.

And the next generation, cousins Ona and Yadi, face tumult of their own: Yadi is reuniting with her first love, who was imprisoned when they were both still kids; Ona is married for years and attempting to conceive. Ona must decide whether it’s worth it to keep trying—to have a child, and the anthropology research that’s begun to feel lackluster.

Spanning the three days prior to the wake, Family Lore traces the lives of each of the Marte women, weaving together past and present, Santo Domingo and New York City. Told with Elizabeth Acevedo’s inimitable and incandescent voice, this is an indelible portrait of sisters and cousins, aunts and nieces—one family’s journey through their history, helping them better navigate all that is to come."

2. The Poet X (2018). This was the 1st book that I read.

"Young adult story

Not my normal reading style

Took my breath away.

When I look at myself in the mirror and then at my bookshelves, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo probably had everything going against it.

Mystery? Nope

Sci-Fi? Nope

It's poetry! I've said many times that my relationship with poetry is a troubled one, albeit, in the past few years, it has improved somewhat.

So let's continue.

Is the story about a senior citizen? Nope

A grey haired, bearded older gentleman (using that term loosely)? Nope

A white, sort of Anglo / Franco mixture of a guy? Nope.

Someone who lived a fairly normal life with a reasonably mild family life? Well....

It's a story told by a young high school girl of Dominican / American descent who can't deal with her overly religious mother and hides behind her poetry. Yup, that's definitely me. Not!

Ok, with all of those caveats, I have one thing to say. Wow! This book just took my breath away. Beautiful writing, easy to grasp poetry, powerful, breath-taking story. By the end, my heart was beating quite loudly, as I turned page after page, hoping that things would turn out better for Xiomara and her twin brother both dealing with an overbearing, strict mother. I'll let you read it to find out.

Read it! Read it! Open your minds and hearts. Such a rare talent. (5.0 stars)"

3. With the Fire on High (2019)

"With the Fire on High is the 3rd book I've enjoyed by Elizabeth Acevedo the last few years. Clap When You Land and The Poet X were both unique in that they were written as stories told with poetry. With the Fire on High is a more traditional story but is still very powerful.

Emoni is a high school student in Philadelphia trying to finish her last year and graduate. Emoni is also a bit different from most of the other kids in the school as she is also a teen mother. She gets assistance from her grand mother, Buela, as they try to make ends meet. Emoni is also a budding chef and in her last year her helpful home room teacher / guidance counsellor encourages her to take a culinary course as her option. Oh yes, Emoni has a troublesome relationship with her father. When Emoni's mother died when Emoni was very young, her father couldn't bear to stay in Philadelphia so he resides more or less permanently in Puerto Rico, making yearly visits to check up on Emoni, Baby girl and Buela.

Making her final year interesting is the arrival in her home room class and also the culinary class is a new student, Malachi. The development of their relationship becomes a major part of the story. As well, Chef (the culinary arts teacher) has planned a weeklong trip to Spain for the culinary class to learn more about cooking. This puts added pressure on Emoni as she must now try to find the funds to be able to go with the class.

I make the story sound straight-forward maybe but it's a rich, well - crafted, thoughtful story about growing up and the twists and turns of a young girl's life, with the added complication of also trying to be a mother to her young child. Acevedo knows how to draw you into her world, to feel empathy for the characters in her stories. This was touching, sad at times, but a story filled with love and caring and great characters and also yummy sounding food. Most enjoyable. (4.5 stars)"

4. Clap When You Land (2020)

"My first exposure to the poetry / story - telling of Dominican / American poetess Elizabeth Acevedo was her 2018 novel The Poet X, a gem of a story written in 'free verse'. My apologies if I have the terminology wrong. I've just completed her latest novel, Clap When You Land, written in 2020, another wonderful, touching YA story.

It tells the story of two young high school students, Yahaira Rios, who lives in New York City and Camino Rios, who lives in the Dominican Republic. Both experience a tragedy at the same time, as their father is killed in a plane crash, on a plane taking him to the DR. Unknown to them, they have the same father, as he has lived a secret life, traveling back and forth to spend time with his two daughters.

The story is told from both girls' points of view and Acevedo presents each girl's character in a unique style; Camino's in three lines per verse, Yahaira's in two. This is especially useful once the girls meet, when there is some overlap.

Basically the book tells the story of both girls, their lives and struggles in their communities and homes. It tells of the conflicted feelings towards their father, especially poignant as they begin to discover the secret he kept from them. And finally it tells of their interactions as they finally meet. It's a wonderful, powerful story, beautifully presented and described. You learn to love these characters, feel their pain, admire their strength. I highly recommend it and think that teenagers would enjoy and even enjoy the exposure to Acevedo's unique writing style. (5.0 stars)"

So there you go. Elizabeth Acevedo is a wonderful talent and worth checking out. More info on her can be found at this Wikipedia page or you can check out her home page at this link. Enjoy!