Some New Books and the Science Fiction Novel - John Twelve Hawks

The local newspaper announced that the 1st person who has tested positive for Covid-19 has been identified in the Comox Valley, although not which specific area. It was bound to happen. Supposedly only the first on Vancouver Island, although I'm not totally sure about that. The Valley schools are now closed for the time being. But stores are still open although I think the big grocery stores are now having early opening times for seniors and at-risk folks. My book stores haven't closed yet although when I was chatting with the owner of Nearly New Books today, she was saying they have plans in place should the government tell small stores to close early. She said she's prepared as well to have special open times for seniors if they ask. It does seem reasonably calm. We were very impressed with how people were acting calmly and normally. It made us feel much better as we have been somewhat stressed by the news. Not to say that we are going partying and such. We aren't going out a lot, just for the basic things.

Anyway, on that note, let's talk about books. I guess it's a perfect time to get serious about books, eh? I received a book in the mail yesterday and picked up a few when I dropped off books at Nearly New Books, I also picked up a couple. So I'll update those and continue with my look at the Sci-Fi novel, today's author, John Twelve Hawks.

New Books

1. Seetee Shock by Jack Williamson (1949). Williamson was one of the first authors I highlighted when I started to look at the Sci-Fi novel. I've since picked up a few more of his books.

"Nick Jenkins works with a group of engineers on asteroid Freedonia, attempting to build the first CT reactor. A contra terrene matter (CT, or antimatter) reactor will provide enough power for the entire solar system, freeing people from the tyranny of limited fission power monopoly controlled by the Interplanet corporation. A surprise attack on Freedonia by unknown attackers disables the entire staff save for Nick Jenkins. The entire staff, including Jenkins, is exposed to a lethal dose of radiation. They will all die within two weeks.

Now it up to Nick Jenkins to track down the attackers, prevent the outbreak of a CT war, and finish the CT reactor in order to provide free power to the solar system. And he must do so before he dies of radiation sickness."

2. Pray for a Brave Heart by Helen MacInnes (1955). I have enjoyed MacInnes' spy stories before. Hoping this one is good as well.

"Set against the breathtaking mountain backdrop of Switzerland, this novel of international intrigue unfolds the powerful story of a young American's search for a priceless cache of hidden Nazi loot. Like all of Helen MacInnes' books, here is a richly authentic, spine-tingling tale of suspense, filled with vivid characters who spring to life with stunning impact."

3. A Sea of Troubles by Donna Leon (Inspector Brunetti #10). Next book in line for one of my favorite series.














 
The murder of two clam fishermen off the island of Pellestrina, south of the Lido on the Venetian lagoon, draws Commissario Brunetti into the close-knit community of the island, bound together by a code of loyalty and a suspicion of outsiders worthy of the Mafia. When the boss' secretary Signorina Elettra volunteers to visit the island, where she has relatives, Brunetti finds himself torn between his duty to solve the murders, concerns for Elettra's safety, and his not entirely straightforward feelings for her ..."

4. Lehrter Station by David Downing (John Russell #5). A very interesting WWII spy series.

"It’s 1945, and British journalist John Russell has finally reunited with his German girlfriend, Effi, in London after a dangerous flight from war-torn Berlin. But Russell realizes his new life in England isn’t going to last when he is tracked down by Soviet agent Shchepkin, who helped Russell escape the disastrous last days of the war and the Russian army’s destruction of Berlin. It is time to repay the debt, and Shchepkin’s bosses in Moscow are not the forgiving types. Russell has no choice but to agree to be transferred back to Germany, where he will resume his cover as an investigative journalist and hand over US intelligence reports on the German Communist Party.

Meanwhile, Effi struggles to revive her acting career, but she cannot fight the desire to uncover ex-Nazi Party members still at large in Berlin. In this dangerous new world, where alliances change every day, will John and Effi be able to leave the past behind? Or are the new enemies the same as the old?"

The Science Fiction Novel - John Twelve Hawks

John Twelve Hawks

John Twelve Hawks - Fourth Realm Trilogy. Twelve Hawks is the pseudonym of the author of the Fourth Realm trilogy. I can't find out much about him except that wrote the 3 books that make up the trilogy and has also written a non-fiction book, Against Authority, and another fiction thriller, Sparks. In an interview he says he was born an American, is not Native American and is a Buddhist. He claims that he got the idea for his pseudonym when he was walking through a forest and came across a hawk nesting area. He saw twelve hawks circling above him.. and a name was born. I have read the first two books in the series and now just have to find the third.

a. The Traveler (2005).













"In London, Maya, a young woman trained to fight by her powerful father, uses the latest technology to elude detection when walking past the thousands of surveillance cameras that watch the city. In New York, a secret shadow organization uses a victim’s own GPS to hunt him down and kill him. In Los Angeles, Gabriel, a motorcycle messenger with a haunted past, takes pains to live "off the grid" — free of credit cards and government IDs. Welcome to the world of The Traveler — a world frighteningly like our own.

In this compelling novel, Maya fights to save Gabriel, the only man who can stand against the forces that attempt to monitor and control society. From the back streets of Prague to the skyscrapers of Manhattan, The Traveler portrays an epic struggle between tyranny and freedom. Not since 1984 have readers witnessed a Big Brother so terrifying in its implications and in a story that so closely reflects our lives." (3 stars)

b. The Dark River (2007).

"This is the second book in the Traveller's series by John Twelve Hawks and follows Gabriel, Maya and their friends as they try to both outrun the Brethren and also to find Gabriel's father. At the other end of the spectrum, Gabriel's brother Michael is now working with the Brethren, especially Mrs. Brewster, and also wishes to find his father. We find out more about the other realms and also meet the Free Runners, a group who try to live outside the Vast Machine being developed by the Brethren. It's a very interesting concept, there is well-developed action and it's often quite grim. I enjoyed this book very much and now will have to try and find Book three, The Golden City to see how Twelve Hawks resolves the questions left open at the end of Book two. (4 stars)"

c. The Golden City (2009).

"In the Fourth Realm trilogy, John Twelve Hawks introduces readers to a dangerous fantasy world inspired by modern technology that monitors our lives. The suspense series concludes in this powerful third novel, following the entire cast of this mesmerizing world that exists in the shadows of our own. Maya, the Harlequin who has pledged to protect Gabriel with her life, will face a situation from which there is no escape. Nathan Boone, the cold and calculating executive of the Brethren, will face Michael, a man who has gone over the edge for power. Hollis, living in grief and becoming a Harlequin himself, will have to choose whether to stay with Gabriel as he embarks on a journey that may lead to his own death."