Thursday, 3 July 2025

And the Bottom Half of 2025 Has Started.

Our Little Clyde Enjoying the Sun
Summer is here. It's sunny and starting to warm up. The blackberries are taking over the yard. I will have to suit up this weekend and cut them down!!

So we're now into the downward slope of 2025. Let's do a reading update...

Completed

(6 books completed since my last update)

1. To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham (based on the Harper Lee novel)

" Over the years I've read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee many times. I can safely say that it's one of my Top Ten favorite novels ever. I've also enjoyed the movie based on the book as many times. It never fails to touch my soul. I had recently enjoyed the graphic novelization of The Wizard of Earthsea by Fred Fordham and when I checked out his other work discovered that he had also adapted and illustrated To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel. So needless to say, I decided to try it as well.

I won't get into the story too much. Suffice it to say it's the story of Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in Maycomb, Alabama with her older brother, Jem, her widowed father, lawyer Atticus Finch and their housekeeper, Calpurnia. It's the story of small town life in the Southern US in the 1930's. It's a coming of age story as Scout begins school, learns about life, hatred, love, racism and tried to understand all of it with sage advice from her loving father. There is the mysterious neighbour, Boo Radley who they never see but who will impact their lives. There is the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, who is defended by her father and the impact that will have on their lives.

It's a powerful,  emotional story and Fordham captures it beautifully in this graphic novel. He doesn't change anything. He respects the original story and just enhances it, adding a visual reference to the words. It was a pleasure to get back into this story. I did so with some trepidation because my feelings about it had been affected by Lee's next story, Go Set a Watchman... but that's a separate issue. Fordham's adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird was loving and respectful and had the same impact to me. I note that he's also done an adaptation of Brave New World which I may have to check out. (4.5 stars)"

2. Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh (Inspector Alleyn #31).

"There are a number of mystery series that I enjoy, that featuring Inspector Alleyn by Ngaio Marsh being one of my favorites. Over her life, 1895 - 1982, Dame Ngaio Marsh wrote 32 books in this crime series. One last one was published in 2018, completed by Stella Duffy. Since I started reading this series in the mid-2000's, I've managed to complete 19 of the books and enjoyed every single one. On our visits to England, my wife and I got acquainted with the TV series based on the books and it's just as good.

Anyway, specifically back to my latest book, Photo Finish, the 31st book in the series... and yes, I haven't always read them in sequence. I picked this one because I've had it the longest on my shelf and I've been trying to clean off some of the dustiest books this year. This Alleyn mystery is unique because it's set in New Zealand, instead of England. There were about 4 set in New Zealand. At any rate, this provided a nice change of pace and scenery from the other books.

Alleyn's wife, famous artist Troy, has been requested by a famed soprano, Isabella Sommita, to travel to New Zealand to paint her portrait. Troy is very excited by this request as Sommita is a prima donna. At the same time, Scotland Yard receives a request from Sommita's manager to conduct an informal investigation at the same time. It seems that someone has been harassing Sommita by following her and taking photos of her that show her in an unfavorable light. Alleyn doesn't want to step on his wife's thunder but it's a chance for them to go away together so he accepts.

Sommita is staying on an island estate on the south island of New Zealand which is owned by her friend, wealthy Montague V. Rice. She will be performing for a private audience, an opera written by her protege and lover, a young man she met in Sydney Australia, one Rupert Bartholomew. When they arrive, the Alleyn's note a considerable friction. Rupert now believes his opera is sub-standard and wants Sommita not to embarrass herself. But it's all been arranged and the guests have arrived as well as a small group of performers.

After the performance, a number of things happen... a major storm has brewed up so the majority have to depart quickly or get stuck on the island. Rupert breaks down in front of the group. Sommita heads off to her suite and later on, her maid, Maria discovers her dead body.. stabbed in the heart with the most recent embarrassing photo pinned to her chest.

Alleyn is in a bit of a pickle now. He's not officially on duty but the island has been cut off because of the storm and the phone is not working. With the assistance of Sommita's doctor, John Carmichael and of his lovely wife, Alleyn tries to conduct an investigation into the murder and that is the crux of the story. And it's an entertaining, interesting one.

The cast of characters are all well-defined. Because it's kind of a closed room mystery on a slightly larger scale, the story allows them to all become more than two-dimensional. And because they are of the emotional musical crowd, they keep Alleyn hopping. The mystery itself is also interesting as there is a mafia feud element that is discovered as Alleyn delves deeper into the diva's life. It gets kind of confusing as the varied possibilities are explored but ultimately everything is wrapped up very nicely. A nice page turner, great characters, fascinating locale and all around entertaining story. (3.5 stars)"

3. Cloud Warrior by Patrick Tilley (Amtrak War #1).

"I bought Cloud Warrior the 1st book in the Amtrak Wars series by Patrick Tilley back in 2022. I basically grabbed it because of the cover and then the story sounded interesting. It's been sitting on my shelf since then but I really wanted to take a look at this series. It was all right.

The story is set in a dystopian US (no, it's not in 2025), ten centuries into the future? Many centuries before the US (and maybe the whole world, that's not clear yet) was destroyed by something. I believe it to be a major nuclear war but it's not specifically stated. These centuries into the future, the US is divided into the technological folks who live underground, they being the Amtrak Federation, ruled by the First Family and the surface peoples. These people who live on the surface are the Mutes who run in tribes and have certain powers.. at least some of them do. Now there are hints of other groups who live on the surface but I'm presuming they might become more obvious as the series develops. But there is mention of some escapees from the Amtrak federation who have survived on the surface and also some people from Pennsylvania who provide tools and weapons made of iron.. More to follow in that regard as I continue the series.

At any rate, the story focuses on Steve Hamilton of the Amtrak Federation who is finishing pilot training and will join one of the Pioneer groups to explore and invade one of the Mute regions. He has a sister, Roz, who seems to have some sort of psychic link with him... just hints of that mentioned. On the Mute side, you've got Cadillac, Clearwater and Mr. Snow, of the She-Kargo Mutes of the Central & Northern Plains (lots of names like this for the surface dwellers). Cadillac is learning to be a seer from Mr. Snow, the spiritual leader of their tribe. Clearwater is his 'lover / betrothed' and has her own powers.

So... the two groups, the Pioneers with Steve Hamilton and the She-Kargo Mutes will meet in the field of battle, the Pioneers using all of their technology and the Mutes their strength, grit and a bit of hocus pocus. The result will be that Steve Hamilton will find himself a prisoner of the Mutes and that's where the story continues to develop.

It's an interesting concept. And there is still so much to learn. Who are the First Family? How did the Amtrak Federation get started? What is the link between Steve and his sister? Mr. Snow has a link with the Talisman... is it spiritual or might it be another computer? But how accurate is its foretelling. The people are interesting. I love the names of the Mutes. Because of their link to Chicago and Detroit (Mo-town), you get names like Three degrees, Night-Fever, etc. It's fun trying to figure out the references. 

And the story is interesting. Once you get into it, or when I got into it, I found myself getting more involved, engrossed. Not perfect but still interesting enough to get me to order #2. Worth checking out if you like dystopian Sci-Fi (3.0 stars)"

4. All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson.

"All's Faire in Middle School is the 3rd YA graphic novel I've enjoyed by Victoria Jamieson. I've also read Roller Girl and When Stars are Scattered, both also excellent.

All's Faire follows young Impy (Imogene) who is about to start Middle School after spending her first years being home schooled. She lives in a small apartment block in Florida with her parents and younger brother Felix. They are not a rich family but are a close one. When it's in season, they are employed at the local Renaissance Faire. Her father Hugh is generally the Black Knight of some such villain. The rest work in their mother's craft shoppe. But this year, Impy will finally get to be one of the cast of the Faire. She will begin Squire training and earn a salary.

So two big events taking place in Impy's life, an exciting new job and an exciting but scary start to a new life at a big middle school with a bunch of total strangers. There are new clothes and all the other things that you get when you start school.

Everything doesn't go well with Impy. Life at the Faire is generally ok. She meets a girl from school, Anita, whose father lets her spend her weekends there. But Anita is a very smart girl and is picked on all the time at school. She's not quite like the others. This is a new situation for Impy, something she's never experienced. So while making new friends as school and also getting to know Anita at Faire on the weekends, she's also trying to keep those relationships apart. Not an easy job. 

School isn't all that easy. She fits in but at the same time doesn't. Her clothes are a bit different because she can't afford to buy the trendy things. Her science teacher is difficult, a task master and Impy is having difficulties concentrating... So many things to think about.

Slowly Impy's life begins to spiral downwards, having problems at home, having issues at school and it starts to affect her work at the Faire. Will she be able to get her life back on track? You'll have to read it, eh?

It's a lovely story filled with great characters. I like Impy, her family and her friends at Faire. It's beautifully drawn and colored for a graphic novel, bright, clear, fresh. I hope Victoria Jamieson is working on new works. She is great! (4.0 stars)"

5. The Religious Body by Catherine Aird (Inspector Sloane #1).

"The Religious Body is the 1st book in the Inspector Sloane mystery series by Catherine Aird and what a nice surprise it was. It was originally published in 1966 and Aird went on to write 25+ books in the series. I will continue to check it out.

The story is set in the fictional county of Calleshire, England. This particular story in a convent, located next to an agricultural college. On the night before Bonfire night, a nun, Sister Anne goes missing. Nothing is suspected until the next morning after breakfast (The convent has appropriate religious terms for the various activities and times of day, so please forgive me if I don't use them as I'd have to search into the story to find them. 😎) A search is organized by Mother Superior and her body is found at the bottom of a stairway leading to the cellar.

Calling the local doctor, he finds the death suspicious and, thus, the local police Criminal Investigations Department, led by Inspector Sloane is brought in. His normal DS is not available, so he takes DS Crosby with him. And this commences an entertaining, well-written mystery that drew me in and kept my interest. Inspector Sloane is a well-written character and the whole cast of suspects and witnesses and just the story itself was excellent.

There are many suspects. Could it be someone from within the convent itself? It turns out that Sister Anne came from a very wealthy family and planned to use her share of the family money to help the convent and its activities abroad. A cousin shows up, conveniently. He plans to turn the family business public and Sister Anne may have been an obstacle to that. What about the Agricultural college next door? On bonfire night, Inspector Sloane receives a telephone call, telling him to check out the colleges bonfire? Why is the body wearing a nun's wimple and Sister Anne's glasses? And what about the grumpy handyman who works out of the basement?

It's all very fascinating. Sloane conducts a competent, wide ranging investigation... 'ably?' assisted by Crosby. Sloane's daily interactions with his boss, Superintendent Leeyes, are always entertaining. Leeyes can only think of the golf game he is missing because of the murder investigation. And his recourse to quoting from his course on Logic always add something. It's just an entertaining story, not too dark, but still a murder investigation. It is wrapped up neatly and satisfyingly. I will be reading #2, Henrietta Who? Check out this series (4.5 stars)"

6. Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart (Brittlestar) Reynolds.

"I bought Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds AKA Brittlestar because I have enjoyed his humorous takes on politics on his Instagram feed. This book was short, sweet, light but to the point. Basically if you're fighting fascism, be more like a cat than a dog. But basically, he makes his point succinctly and clearly.

"Fascists survive on predictability because their entire system is built on the illusion of control." Be like the cat. Be unpredictable. Fascists can't handle unpredictability.

"Fascists, despite their chest-thumping bravado, are deeply insecure" They thrive on denigrating and making people feel small. They only win if you let them. Cats won't let them. You shouldn't either.

One more...

"Fascists, despite their swagger, are terrified of sharp resistance - both literal and metaphorical. They thrive on compliance..." So never let them think you are defenceless...

It's an interesting way of presenting this battle between democracy and fascism and it makes the point very clearly. Check it out and check out Brittlestar... (3.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Sleeping Planet by William R. Burkett Jr. (Sci Fi).

"As long as "The Unaffected" fought the Llralans, Earth would not die in its sleep!

Lulled into a coma by the exotic fumes from a strange plant, the people of Earth experienced terrible dreams while orange-skinned invaders quietly began taking control.

But even as the planet slumbered to its downfall, a few Terrans miraculously remained awake. These were "The Unaffected" - men like Brad Donovan and Jimmy Rierson who battled the invaders with every weapon of technology and psychology at their disposal to prevent Earth from becoming a land of the living dead."

2. Miami Blues by Charles Willeford (Hoke Moseley #1).

"After a brutal day investigating a quadruple homicide, Detective Hoke Moseley settles into his room at the un-illustrious El Dorado Hotel and nurses a glass of brandy. With his guard down, he doesn’t think twice when he hears a knock on the door. The next day, he finds himself in the hospital, badly bruised and with his jaw wired shut. He thinks back over ten years of cases wondering who would want to beat him into unconsciousness, steal his gun and badge, and most importantly, make off with his prized dentures. But the pieces never quite add up to revenge, and the few clues he has keep connecting to a dimwitted hooker, and her ex-con boyfriend and the bizarre murder of a Hare Krishna pimp.

Chronically depressed, constantly strapped for money, always willing to bend the rules a bit, Hoke Moseley is hardly what you think of as the perfect cop, but he is one of the the greatest detective creations of all time."

3. The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (Det Kindaichi #1).

"In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour - it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions around the village.

Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi household are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music. Death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house. Soon, amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is on the scene to investigate what will become a legendary murder case, but can this scruffy sleuth solve a seemingly impossible crime?"

4. A Year of the Last Things: Poems by Michael Ondaatje (2024).

"With A Year of Last Things, acclaimed novelist Michael Ondaatje returns to poetry, where he began his career over fifty years ago, and what a return it is.

Born in Sri Lanka during the Second World War, Ondaatje was sent as a child to school in London, and later moved to Canada. While he has lived here since, these poems reflect the life of a writer, traveller and watcher of the world – describing himself as a “mongrel,” someone born out of diverse cultures. Here, rediscovering the influence of every border crossed, he moves back and forth in time, from a childhood in Sri Lanka to Moliere’s chair during his last stage performance, from icons in Bulgarian churches to the California coast and loved Canadian rivers, merging memory with the present, looking back on a life of displacement and discovery, love and loss. At first sight it is a glittering collection of fragments and memories – but small, intricate pieces of a life are precisely what matter most to Ondaatje. They make an emotional history. As he writes in the opening poem: “Reading the lines he loves / he slips them into a pocket, / wishes to die with his clothes / full of torn free stanzas / and the telephone numbers / of his children in far cities”. Poetry – where language is made to work hardest and burns with a gem-like flame – is what Ondaatje has returned to in this intimate history."

Recent Purchases

1. Silk by Caitlin R. Kiernan (Silk #1). I've been enjoying exploring Kiernan's work.

"Spyder Baxter is the patron saint of the alienated and the lost. She invites them into her mesmerizing world of ritual and ceremony, blood and fire... a realm of vengeful gods, of exiled spirits harboring in the dark secrets of Hell - and the darker secrets of Heaven. Is she their guardian angel, come to force them to face their greatest fears even as she battles to save their ravaged souls? Or a much more terrifying force, sent not to redeem but to destroy?"



2. Mr. Hire's Engagement by Georges Simenon (Mys). I've been reading mainly Simenon's Inspector Maigret mysteries. This is one of his standalones.

"Georges Simenon's chilling portrayal of tragic love, persecution and betrayal.

'One sensed in him neither flesh nor bone, nothing but soft, flaccid matter, so much so that his movements were hard to make out. Very red lips stood out from his orb-like face, as did the thin moustache that he curled with an iron and looked as if it had been drawn on with India ink; on his cheekbones were the symmetrical pink dots of a doll's cheeks.'

People find Mr. Hire strange, disconcerting. The tenants he shares his building with try to avoid him. He is a peeping Tom, a visitor of prostitutes, a dealer in unsavoury literature. He is also the prime suspect for a brutal murder that he did not commit. Yet Mr. Hire's innocence will not stand in the way of those looking for a scapegoat as tragedy unfolds in this quietly devastating and deeply unnerving novel.

'The romans durs are extraordinary: tough, bleak, offhandedly violent, suffused with guilt and bitterness, redolent of place . . . utterly unsentimental, frightening in the pitilessness of their gaze, yet wonderfully entertaining' John Banville

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. Best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret books, his prolific output of over 400 novels and short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life."

3. Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3 - One Small Step by Brian K. Vaughan. (Sci Fi). I've been enjoying Vaughan's Saga graphic novel series. I saw this at my local used book store and it look interesting.

"The adventures of Yorick Brown continue in Y: THE LAST MAN: ONE SMALL STEP, collecting issues #11-17.

A Russian Soyuz capsule is coming down from the International Space Station carrying three passengers: one woman and two men. Could this be the end of Yorick's tenure as last living male?"

Clyde says 'Have a great day! ZZZZZ'
There you go. I hope you get some reading ideas from this. Enjoy July!


Wednesday, 18 June 2025

It's Mid-June so let's Update!

Just a quickie today. Beautiful day in the Valley and we're basically relaxing. Jo is recovering from her 3rd session of chemo and Clyde and I are trying not to disturb her too much. Might make a sweet and sour pork with cauliflower rice for dinner or maybe just some meat pies and mashed potatoes. Whatever Jo prefers.

Books! Probably not too much to report since my last update but let's see.

Completed Since Last Update

 8 books completed since my last update. I need to do these updates more regularly, eh?

1. The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed (2024).

"I have previously read The Annual Migration of Clouds by Canadian author Premee Mohamed and have the 2nd book sitting on my book shelf to read. But I recently found another of her books, The Butcher of the Forest and decided to try it before continuing with the Migration series.

Have you ever seen Escape from New York, the movie? Or maybe Lockout? Well, if you have, you have the gist of this excellent story, except the main character is a young woman and rather than Sci Fi, this is more horror / fantasy.

Veris Thorn, the afore-mentioned young woman, is hauled out of her home in the middle of the night by soldiers of the Tyrant, the foreign ruler of her land. He is merciless and has murdered hundreds of thousands in his conquests. Dragged to his castle on the hill overlooking her village, Veris discovers that the Tyrant's two children, a young girl, Eleonor, and her younger brother, Aram, snuck out of the castle in the middle of the night and went adventuring in the North Forest. The tyrant wants Veris to go into the forest and find them and bring them back out. He knows that once before Veris did this for a child from her village.

Veris doesn't want to do it because the forest is an evil place, haunted with old creatures and nobody who enters has ever escaped... except for this one time. Veris barely survived herself. But the Tyrant tells her that if she refuses or fails, he will kill everyone in her village, including her grand parents with whom she lives.

And with that introduction, the story follows Veris as she prepares to enter the forest (bringing a few charms and sustenance) and the complete journey to find the two lost children.

It's a very short story so I don't want to ruin it by going into any more details. Premee tells it beautifully, keeping up a breathless pace, describing the forest and creatures Veris encounters like portraits. You can picture everything so clearly. You can feel every emotion. Veris is a wonderful, brave individual who has suffered much in her life. The creatures are interesting, some evil, some helpful, some dealmakers. Nice little touches like when Veris talks to the birds, but can she trust them? The evil within the forest is palpable. The story is just so fascinating and was a pleasure to read. Not terrifying necessarily but still creepy and making you feel wary.... Loved it and I'll continue to explore Premee Mohamed's work. (4.5 stars)"

2. The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown (Wild Robot #3 / 2023). This completes this excellent series.

"The Wild Robot Protects by Peter  Brown is the 3rd and final book in the adventures of Roz the robot. The first book were also turned into an excellent animated movie. As we've followed Roz, she was washed ashore on a small island, grew personally as she made friends and helped save the animals on the isolated island from many disasters, raised a young gosling who lost his mother, was 'rescued' (& I use the term loosely) by other robots and returned to civilization, worked on a farm, plotted her return to the island, etc.... The first stories were beautifully written, complete with lovely illustrations by Brown.

So this final book in the trilogy comes out six years after #2. Roz is living happily on her island with all of her animal friends. Her son, Brightbill, the goose, has just returned with his flock of geese from their winter spent in their wintering grounds. As the island rejoices, we hear of a seal struggling on the beach. He tells of a poisonous tide that is flowing through ocean, killing everything in its way. 

Roz tells the islanders that they should be safe, but she is incorrect. The tide begins to wash ashore, driving sea otters in its wake. The islanders must move further inland and work to create safe, clean watering holes deeper inland to protect everyone from being affected or worse by the tide. Then a forest fire strikes the island as well, causing much damage. 

Roz learns that there is an ancient shark who may be able to help get rid of the poisonous tide and she begins a long journey to the far north to find it. (In book 2, Roz was improved by her creator and she has discovered that she can swim, that water won't damage her circuits and many more things. )

The journey is a long one and fraught with danger. Roz meets many new creatures on her way to discover the cause of the poisonous tide. I think it's best the story be left there for you to enjoy it all and to discover the who, what and why and whether Roz and her friends can solve this deadly problem.

Suffice it to say, the story is once again told wonderfully and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. There are many layers to the story. It's written intelligently. The characters are all interesting and the story draws you in completely. Brown's illustrations add to the depth of the story. It's a tense, exciting adventure that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Check out the complete trilogy. (4.0 stars)"

3. Smol Tales from Between Worlds by Ai Jiang (2023).

"I've been enjoying exploring the work of Ai Jiang. Odd Jobs is a collection of stories from 6 different authors including Jiang, where her story tells of a young environmentalist who ends up working for an 'oil' company to raise the money to begin fighting her causes.... Linghun is a novella by Jiang telling of the suburb of Home, where families move to try and be close to the spirits of dead family members. Very strange, interesting story. 

So now I've tried Smol Tales, which is a collection of Jiang's short stories, interspersed with an interview of her thoughts on writing, her future, etc. 

The collection is strange, varied and interesting. After each story, Jiang provides some insight into what she was attempting with each story. (If you've not yet tried Linghun, the last story is a teaser from that story, if you wish to get a feel for it before actually trying the whole story).

I readily admit I didn't get every story in this collection and some I liked better than others, but that is the nature of short stories anyway, I believe. It takes a particular talent to write short stories, to get the thought and plot idea down quickly and as well, to resolve it quickly and satisfyingly. Most of the short stories in this collection are less than 10 pages, I'd suggest. They explore Jiang's earlier efforts, most of which were accepted for publication.

You have stories that have reflections on Canada's residential schools (the graveyards at the schools / Missing Dolls from Around the World), a particularly interesting story that features the border between the Eastern and Western gods (The Year of the Niu). Another reminded me of The Blue Lenses by du Maurier. In Jiang's story, a young girl sees ghosts from her right eye. But it is more than that as it also deals with family issues, which added to the interest. There is a particularly poignant story, Waves and Seesaws, about an elderly Chinese woman, living in Toronto, braving her lack of English to head off to the Grocery store on her own. For a very short story, I loved it and it reminded me of another story I'd read recently, Denison Avenue by Christina Wong.

The stories are an interesting mix of dystopia, fantasy, fiction, etc. I will continue to explore Ai Jiang's work, in fact, I now have A Palace Near the Wind on my book shelf to enjoy. (3.5 stars)"

4. Saga, Volume 9 by Brian K. Vaughan (2018). One of my favorite Sci Fi graphic novel series.

"Saga, Volume 9 by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples contains Chapters 49 - 54 of this excellent graphic novel series. It's fast become one of my favorite, if not my favorite, fantasy / Sci Fi graphics. It continues the journey of Hazel, progeny of a loving couple of two warring races, the wings and the magical horns. Since the first chapter, this family has been hunted by bounty hunters sent by both races. As well, they've gathered a quirky group of friends that have been accompanying this journey / adventure.

Volume 8 was entertaining but Volume 9 has been a real return to form. The art work was beautiful and the story so very excellent. It was difficult to put it down... in fact I finished it in an afternoon reading session. Hazel and family are hiding out on an island with Prince Robot, his son, Squire, Petrichor, a trans alien, with whom the Prince is falling in love. Also with them are two cute aliens who are training Hazel and watching over her. There are also two gay reporters who want to write their story.

Chasing them are Ianthe, an alien (I guess in truth they are all aliens to me) bounty hunter out for revenge for the murder of her lover and also her prisoner, The Will. It's a very rich involved story that moves from Hazel and her family to the hunters. I love the family and their friends. The planet is interesting and their lives draw you in. There are so many shocks in this particular edition and the story leaves you hanging. I can't wait now for the next book. It's told from the perspective of Hazel, her thoughts as she grows up experiencing this dangerous life. Such a unique, fascinating world Vaughan and Staples have created. Vol 10 is on order! (4.0 stars)"

5. The Wintermen by Brit Griffin (Wintermen #1 / 2014).

"A bit of a preamble here before I get into my review of The Wintermen by Brit Griffin because I do like a little bit of preamble. I mean who doesn't eh? Anyway, in my travels through the internet, specifically BlueSky, I started following a Canadian politician, Charlie Angus (well, a retired politician). When I researched him I saw that his wife, Brit Griffin, had authored a trilogy featuring the Wintermen and thought maybe it might be interesting to check it out. The Wintermen is the 1st book in this trilogy. 

Now back to normal ambling...

The Wintermen presents a dystopic future, this story set in northern Ontario, around my birth place of North Bay. This added to the interest.

Climate change has turned the north into a frozen wasteland. A merciless corporation, Talus, wants to mine the crap out of the north, to get all of the precious minerals out of the ground. As the story starts, Johnny Slaught, one of these northern boys works in a shipping yard, loading everything that Talus is robbing from the north. They are trying to gather all of the northern residents to send south to the city so they will have free reign to the resources.

One of Johnny's co-workers steals a pair of gloves to keep warm and is murdered by the foreman. This forces a decision on Johnny who decides he has to fight back. The Talus bosses are taken over and then sent down south to tell their bosses to keep out of the North. And the Wintermen are born.

Jump forward a couple of years and Talus has plans to finally get rid of the Wintermen who have set up a town in the abandoned community of Cobalt, an old silver mining town in northern Ontario. The town has grown with many strays arriving. The Wintermen, Johnny Slaught and his best friend, Algonquin Chumboy Commando, search far and wide to build up food and medical supplies to help their rugged community survive.

Talus, along with Police Service officials, send up Mitch Black (one scary lady) and Grier Laskin, two mercenaries to deal with the Wintermen. Get rid of them and ship any innocents down the City. And that is the gist of this entertaining story, the 'battle' between the evil Corporation and the freedom loving Wintermen, who don't really want to fight, but will to protect their friends.

It's kind of a combination western, the cattle ranchers and the sheep farmers, and a Star Wars adventure (you know, the evil Empire vs the down and out rebellion, with the Wintermen as the Jedis). It's a rough and ready story with lots of action, a fascinating setting and great characters. It's a nice, easy read but it also packs a punch, especially as the story moves to its climax, a real page turner. I was totally satisfied with the story and as I look around the current world situation, with corporations and governments trying to dig up our natural resources, it's even an interesting cautionary tale. I'm looking forward to reading #2, Into the Deep Dark. Thank you, Brit Griffin for providing such an enjoyable read. (3.5 stars)"

6. The Sigh by Marjane Satrapi (2004).

"In the past year, I've been exploring the graphic novels of Iranian - French author, Marjane Satrapi. The 1st three books I enjoyed have all been non - fiction, dealing with her life, a story about an uncle and also the plight and battle for freedom of women in Iran. The Sigh, originally published in 2011, is quite different, being a short and sweet fairy tale.

The Sigh tells the story of 3 sisters, focusing on the youngest, Rose. The sisters live with their widowed father, a travelling businessman. On one trip, each daughter tells him what to buy them as gifts; a dress for the oldest, Orchid, a merino shawl for Violet and the seed of a blue bean for Rose. Unfortunately, father is only able to find the 1st two gifts on his travels.

Rose is disappointed and sighs, bringing to the home, Ah the Sigh, a sort of spirit. He provides the father with a blue bean seed but makes him promise that at some time he must grant wish to The Sigh. A year later, Ah the Sigh returns with his demand... that being that father must give up Rose to the being. After much argument, Rose says she'll go and off they ride into the night.

The rest of this short story details Rose's life in the distant land where she falls in love with Ah's master, the Prince of Sighs and the tragedy that befalls the Prince and then Rose's efforts to save him.

It's a lovely story. Rose is a strong, wonderful character, with great wisdom and sensibility. The story is short and lovingly written and illustrated and was most enjoyable to read. I've enjoyed my exposure to Marjane's stories very much. I will keep exploring. (4.0 stars)"

7. Alabaster Volume 2 - Grimmer Tales by Caitlin R. Kiernan (2014)

"I first discovered the horror / fantasy / Sci Fi work of Caitlín R. Kiernan at the end of 2023 when I discovered her Tinfoil Dossier trilogy. Great series and I've one left to read. I started exploring more of her work and Alabaster graphic novel series. So imaginative. Alabaster Volume 2: Grimmer Tales sort of fits into the middle of the books I've previously enjoyed and is a collection of 3 short stories, basically interpreting 3 of the Grimm Brother fairy tales; Red Riding Hood, the Little Mermaid & Snow White... but making them scary..

In these stories, Dancy Flammarion and her companions, the ghostly werewolf Maisie and the ever-present talking blackbird, have gone their separate ways. The blackbird is on a boxcar with 5 other creatures, who are considering having him for dinner. In the same way as Scheherazade saves her own life, the begins telling stories of Dancy's 'adventures' with the supernatural creatures. We hear 3 of the stories.

The first has Dancy and the others taking a bus to Black Hammock, Georgia. The 'book' that is inside of Dancy tells her there is something there that needs to be dealt with. This is the Mermaid story. The Mermaid has gained the ability to live on land if she has an annual sacrifice to the being who made her human. 

The second story is loosely based on Red Riding Hood. Dancy might be dreaming or hallucinating as she is in a space ship that has landed in the South and she must try to get things working again. Maisie is the wolf in the story, trying to stop Dancy, clothed in a 'red' spacesuit.

The final story is based on Snow White. Maisie and the blackbird coincidently meet up and cross a corn field in Alabama, looking for Dancy. They've been dreaming about her. Meanwhile the voices inside Dancy want her to kill Maisie and she must fight the voices.

The concept is fascinating, that being the blackbird telling the stories and the stories themselves are all unique and interesting... draw you in and keep your interest. I like Dancy very much, she's a troubled soul. She's been controlled by some Angel that has abandoned her in previous stories and now relies on the voices from the evil book she destroyed. Her relationship with Maisie and the blackbird is both humorous (especially with the blackbird) and emotional and touching.  Kiernan has packed a lot into these graphic novels. I believe there is at least one more graphic in the series and maybe a chapter book... Time to find out. (4.0 stars)"

8. On Freedom by Timothy Snyder (2024).

"It took me awhile to get through On Freedom by Timothy Snyder but that was  my problem not the quality of this book. It's a thoughtful, well-organized and well-written philosophy on the nature and concept that make freedom. I do find myself leaning towards graphics and fantasy and such of late but it felt good to delve into this excellent treatise.

Timothy Snyder was, until recently, the Richard C. Levin Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale. Just recently, he, his wife and a close friend, all professors at Yale, moved to Canada to teach at U of Toronto. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. Now to look at this book.

I readily admit that I get lost in the words when I read a book on political philosophy, or any other type of book. Why I don't know, in my increasing older age, maybe I have a shorter attention span. I did take a few politics courses back in my university days, not that it made me any smarter. Once again, I digress...

Timothy Snyder breaks his book down into to major sections; his introduction to the concept of freedom and his conclusion on what Government can do to enhance freedom for its citizens. He has two main ideas that are developed over the course of his analysis. Firstly, he differentiates between 'Freedom to...' (positive freedom) and Freedom from...' (Negative freedom) As well, during his discussion he uses two German terms in discussing how people are treated or described, Leib (positive freedom) and Korper (negative freedom)

He talks about freedom to in terms of freedom to think, freedom to speak, freedom to listen, freedom to move, freedom for health care, freedom to get an education... In terms of the negative freedom from, he highlights many concepts, freedom from government, freedom from learning about the varieties of people, ideas, other religions, etc. (I may have added things not necessarily mentioned, but you get the idea, I hope)

Korper deals with just the person as a body, someone to be used and abused, to be treated as an other. Whereas Leib treats a person as a thinking individual with a soul and intelligence. Depending whether you practice negative or positive freedom, will be shown how you treat people, how you try to understand them or not, how you are willing to learn from them, or not, etc.

His discussion of freedom is broken down into 5 areas; Sovereignty, Unpredictability, Mobility, Factuality and Solidarity. I found these discussions very interesting. Just some examples, like Mobility where he talks about the positive and negative aspects. You can get right down physical mobility. He highlights Poland as compared to the US. When he visited Poland just after the wall came down, their roads in the eastern part of the country were poor and mainly gravel. But now, they have great roads throughout the country, thereby enhancing 'mobility'. In comparison, he finds the roads in the US to be deteriorating, resulting in a negative effect on mobility. There is also the mobility to go somewhere for you education, to travel for work, to experience more than just your small localized town. Positive freedom, freedom to, allows this mobility, enhances an individuals freedom. Negative freedom, freedom from, keeps individuals, especially poor people and minorities, bound to their small area. Stop local transport like buses, makes cars too expensive. Keep the bodies from growing and enhancing.

It's a fascinating read and I like that he offers solutions, not just highlighting the differences between positive and negative freedom. Snyder has presented a fascinating, thoughtful treatise that is well-worth reading. It will make you think, I hope. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. The Siege Winter by Ariana Franklin (2014). I completed Franklin's historical mystery series about the Mistress of the Art of Death. This is a standalone.

"1141 A.D.: King Stephen is warring with his cousin Empress Matilda over the throne of England. Every cathedral, every castle, every seat of power will swear fealty to one or the other—but not every stronghold is as strategic or as valuable as Kenniford Castle in Oxfordshire. Its mistress, sixteen-year-old Maud of Kenniford, swears fealty to Stephen, but Matilda’s forces have decreed that she marry the odious John of Tewing.

Life in the fenlands carries on as usual—that is, until the mercenaries ride through the marsh, and a small red-haired girl named Em is snatched and carried off. After the soldiers have finished with her, they leave her for dead. But fenland girls are not easy to kill.

Although she has lost all memory of her past life, including her name, Em survives and falls under the protection of Gwyl, a Breton archer. Together Gwyl and his new protégé—now crop-headed and disguised as a boy—travel through the countryside giving archery exhibitions. But there is one man who hasn’t forgotten the little red-haired girl. He has some unfinished business with her, and he is determined to see it through.

And one freezing winter in an Oxfordshire castle completely besieged, he might well get his chance..."

2. Complete Broadway 1918 - 1923 by Dorothy Parker (2014). I have enjoyed Parker's poems very much. I'm enjoying this so far.

"Dorothy Parker holds a place in history as one of New York's most beloved writers. Now, for the first time in nearly a century, the public is invited to enjoy Mrs. Parker's sharp wit and biting commentary on the Jazz Age hits and flops in this first-ever published collection of her groundbreaking Broadway reviews. Starting when she was twenty-four at Vanity Fair as New York's only female theatre critic, Mrs. Parker reviewed some of the biggest names of the the Barrymores, George M. Cohan, W.C. Fields, Helen Hayes, Al Jolson, Eugene O'Neil, Will Rogers, and the Ziegfeld Follies. Her words of praise-and contempt-for the dramas, comedies, musicals, and revues are just as fresh and funny today as they were in the age of speakeasies and bathtub gin. Annotated with a notes section by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick, president of the Dorothy Parker Society, the volume shares Parker's outspoken opinions of a great era of live theatre in America, from a time before radio, talking pictures, and television decimated attendance. Dorothy Complete Broadway, 1918-1923 provides a fascinating glimpse of Broadway in its Golden Era and literary life in New York through the eyes of a renowned theatre critic."

3. The Religious Body by Catherine Aird (Inspector Sloan #1 / 1966). Checking out a new mystery series.

"Sister Anne," said the Mother Superior unperturbed, "died on Wednesday evening sometime after supper, probably in the corridor leading from the Great Hall to the kitchens. Her body was put into the broom cupboard and later thrown down the cellar steps. "Who would want to kill a cloistered num? But, astonishingly, someone had. It was as much of a surprise to the sisters of the Convent of St. Anselm as it was to Inspector C. D. Sloan, Criminal Investigation Department. But now it was up to the Inspector to find the motive and the murderer."


New Purchases

1. A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang (2025).

"From a rising star author, a richly inventive, brutal and beautiful science-fantasy novella. A story of family, loss, oppression and rebellion for readers of Nghi Vo's The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Neon Yang's The Black Tides of Heaven and Kritika H. Rao's The Surviving Sky

Sometimes called Wind Walkers for their ability to command the wind, unlike their human rulers, the Feng people have bark faces, carved limbs, arms of braided branches, and hair of needle threads. Bound by duty and tradition, Liu Lufeng, the eldest princess of the Feng royalty, is the next bride to the human king. The negotiation of bridewealth is the only way to stop the expansion of the humans so that the Feng can keep their lands, people, and culture intact. As the eldest, Lufeng should be the next in line to lead the people of Feng, and in the past, that made her sisters disposable. Thankful that her youngest sister, Chuiliu, is too young for a sacrificial marriage, she steps in with plans to kill the king to finally stop the marriages.

But when she starts to uncover the truth about her peoples' origins and realizes Chuiliu will never be safe from the humans, she must learn to let go of duty and tradition, choose her allies carefully, and risk the unknown in order to free her family and shape her own fate.

A powerfully imaginative, compelling story of a young woman seeking to save her family and her home, as well as a devastating meditation on the destruction of the natural world for the sake of an industrial future."

2. Railsea by China Mieville (2012). I have enjoyed everything I've read by Mieville so far.

"On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt: the giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death & the other’s glory. Spectacular as it is, Sham can’t shake the sense that there is more to life than the endless rails of the railsea—even if his captain thinks only of hunting the ivory-colored mole that took her arm years ago. But when they come across a wrecked train, Sham finds something—a series of pictures hinting at something, somewhere, that should be impossible—that leads to considerably more than he’d bargained for. Soon he’s hunted on all sides, by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters & salvage-scrabblers. & it might not be just Sham’s life that’s about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea."

3. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (The Locked Room #1 / 2019) I hope this is as good as people have indicated because I purchased the 1st two books in this fantasy series.

"The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead."

4. Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (The Locked Room #2 / 2020).

"Harrow the Ninth , the New York Times and USA Today bestselling sequel to Gideon the Ninth , turns a galaxy inside out as one necromancer struggles to survive the wreckage of herself aboard the Emperor's haunted space station.

“Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space! Decadent nobles vie to serve the deathless emperor! Skeletons!” ―Charles Stross on Gideon the Ninth

“Unlike anything I've ever read.” ―V.E. Schwab on Gideon the Ninth

“Deft, tense and atmospheric, compellingly immersive and wildly original.” ― The New York Times on Gideon the Ninth

She answered the Emperor's call.

She arrived with her arts, her wits, and her only friend.

In victory, her world has turned to ash.

After rocking the cosmos with her deathly debut, Tamsyn Muir continues the story of the penumbral Ninth House in Harrow the Ninth , a mind-twisting puzzle box of mystery, murder, magic, and mayhem. Nothing is as it seems in the halls of the Emperor, and the fate of the galaxy rests on one woman's shoulders.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath―but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her.

Sealed in the gothic gloom of the Emperor's Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers, hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?"

5. It Rhymes with Takei by George Takei (2025). I thought They Called Us Enemy was excellent.

"Following the award-winning bestseller They Called Us Enemy, George Takei’s new full-color graphic memoir reveals his most personal story of all—told in full for the first time anywhere!

George Takei has shown the world many faces: actor, author, outspoken activist, helmsman of the starship Enterprise, living witness to the internment of Japanese Americans, and king of social media. But until October 27, 2005, there was always one piece missing—one face he did not show the world. There was one very intimate fact about George that he never shared… and it rhymes with Takei.

Now, for the first time ever, George shares the full story of his life in the closet, his decision to come out as gay at the age of 68, and the way that moment transformed everything. Following the phenomenal success of his first graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy, George Takei reunites with the team of Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger for a jaw-dropping new testament. From his earliest childhood crushes and youthful experiments in the rigidly conformist 1950s, to global fame as an actor and the paralyzing fear of exposure, to the watershed moment of speaking his truth and becoming one of the most high-profile gay men on the planet, It Rhymes With Takei presents a sweeping portrait of one iconic American navigating the tides of LGBTQ+ history.

Combining historical context with intimate subjectivity, It Rhymes With Takei shows how the personal and the political have always been intertwined. Its richly emotional words and images depict the terror of entrapment even in gay community spaces, the anguish of speaking up for so many issues while remaining silent on his most personal issue, the grief of losing friends to AIDS, the joy of finding true love with Brad Altman, and the determination to declare that love openly—and legally—before the whole world.

Looking back on his own astonishing life on both sides of the closet, George Takei presents a charismatic and candid witness to how far America has come… and how precious that progress is."

6. Something is Killing the Children, Volume 6 by James Tynion IV (2023). Another engrossing graphic novel series, that's been getting better.

"With the last person in her corner gone and a ruthless agent from the Order of St. George closing in, Erica Slaughter finds herself alone and without a prayer. Can she take on this horrific new monster plaguing the small town of Tribulation, New Mexico by herself, or is this the end of her story? Erica is faced with a choice to reach out to an unexpected source for help, or find herself dealing with both a monster and her human enemies alone… Erica Slaughter faces her deadliest challenge yet in the next volume of the Eisner-winning and Harvey Award-nominated series from GLAAD Award-winning author James Tynion IV (Department of Truth, The Nice House on the Lake), artist Werther Dell’Edera (Razorblades), colorist Miquel Muerto (Radiant Red), and letterer AndWorld Design (Nightwing, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr).

Collects Something is Killing the Children #26-30."

7. Beneath the Rising by Premee Mohamed (Rising #1 / 2020) An author like Ai Jiang that I'm checking out more and more.

"Nick Prasad has always enjoyed a quiet life in the shadow of his best friend, child prodigy and technological genius Joanna Johnny Chambers.

But all that is about to end. When Johnny invents a clean reactor that could eliminate fossil fuels and change the world, she awakens primal, evil Ancient Ones set on subjugating humanity.

From the oldest library in the world to the ruins of Nineveh, hunted at every turn, they will need to trust each other completely to survive

All the Birds in the Sky meets Lovecraft Country in this whimsical coming-of-age story about two kids in the middle of a war of eldritch horrors from outside spacetime."

There you go. All caught up. I hope you see a few books that tweak your interest. Enjoy the rest of June.
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