A Thursday Night Reading Update

Watching the Station 19, Grey's Anatomy & Alaska Daily trilogy on a Thursday night. Bonnie has settled down after an hour of discomfort. Sometimes her meds take time to start working. She's been irritated today, more than normal, but seems OK now, quieted down somewhat.

It's been a week since my last reading update, so here goes.

Just Finished

(4 books finished, of which I gave up on one)

1. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (Monk & Robot #2). I've been pleasantly surprised by this 2-book series. I'm looking forward to reading more of Chambers' work.

"Back in my earlier years, when I was discovering the joys of reading, I used to focus on one book at a time. More recently, as I joined online book groups and became an enthusiastic participant with various reading challenges, I started reading 2 of 3 books at a time (oh, who am I kidding, 5 - 7 at a time, depending on my mood). I'd read two or three a day, around 30 - 50 pages each and feel satisfied with my daily results. Every now and then, as I start a book, I just don't even bother putting it down and focus on it until I'm finished.

With that preamble out of the way, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky  Chambers, the 2nd and so far final book in the Monk & Robot duology, was one such book. Like the first book, it was so easy to sink into the two characters and the wonderful story that I just had to finish it before I went back to my other books.

Sibling Dex is a monk who, in the first book, began a journey on a tea cart, traveling to village after village, opening his tea shop and serving and providing counsel to other citizens of the small moon, which they call home. On this journey, he met a free robot, Mosscap, who wanted to visit humanity again (robots were granted freedom and had gone into the wilderness to live) and see 'what they needed'? This second story is their journey around their home, visiting various communities.

It's a gentle, slow moving story, basically small vignettes as the two get to know each other, become close friends, and visit with communities. Thoughtful discussions, humor, positivity, just a book that leaves you feeling good. Sibling Dex and Mosscap are wonderful creations. The moon is a fascinating, interesting place. The people are neat. Don't expect action, just a gentle, loving, positive, entertaining story. For the moment, there are two books in the series. If Becky Chambers decides to keep it that way, I'll be perfectly happy because the ending was so satisfying. If there are no more books, I'm happy to start her Wayfarers series. (4.5 stars)"

2. The House that Stood Still by A.E. van Vogt (1950). My first attempt of a van Vogt novel. Disappointing and didn't finish. I may try another.

"Their should be a Did Not Finish (DNF) rating for books on Goodreads. Anyway, suffice it to say that I did not finish The House That Stood Still by A.E. van Vogt, my first attempt at his Sci-Fi work. Sometimes Sci-Fi is too silly for words.

Brief synopses (noting I only read 77 pages of this 192 page effort. Lawyer Allison Stephens is the local rep of another law firm, representing the business affairs of rich Mr. Tannahill, which includes his estate, yup, the Tannahill Estate. It's a mysterious place, seems to back even before the first Spanish conquistadors arrived their when their ship crashed ashore.

Stephens hears strange goings on in his office building (after hours), a woman is being whipped by adherents to some society??? Ancient Toltec? Martian????? Who knows. What else... Immortality?? Maybe. A Martian invasion of Earth?? Sorry, I just gave up and you'll have to try yourself to find out.  I do have one more van Vogt book on my shelves, The Anarchist Colossus... I may give it a try in case it's more interesting. So there you go, folks. DNF, and No rating (NR)."

3. The Case of the Screaming Woman by Erle Stanley Gardner (Perry Mason #52 / 1957). My first Perry Mason mystery. I enjoyed.

"I've enjoyed the Perry Mason TV series in the past couple of years, rewatching the shows on MeTV. The Case of The Screaming Woman by Erle Stanley Gardner is the 52nd book in the series by my first attempt at it. Like the TV show it's an interesting mix of crime investigation and courtroom drama.

This is a somewhat confusing case, involving a mystery woman, a lying husband, an understanding wife, a dead doctor, nosy neighbors, a shady adoption practice and a vengeful DA (Hamilton Berger). Perry and his competent, lovely right hand woman, Della Street, with investigative help from PI Paul Drake and his staff investigate a case that hasn't really happened yet, until the discovery of the dead (murdered) doctor and then have to work to keep their client out of jail. At the same time, Perry and Della must try to keep themselves sanctioned by the DA and another lawyer, a shady character, from turning them in, or succumbing to his bribery attempts.

It's a bit overblown and the case is kind of far flung but it's still entertaining, quick moving and Perry and Della are great characters. I have a few other cases in my bookshelf and look forward to exploring the series more. (3.0 stars)"

4. Saga, Volume #1 by Brian Vaughan (Saga Chaps 1-6 / 2012).

"I have been enjoying adding graphic novels again the past few years. Such variety and great imagination. I heard about Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan from some Book Club friends and thought, what the heck, let's give it a try. I loved it!

Vol 1 contains Chapters 1 thru 6 and it starts off with a bang and just keeps going from there. Great artwork, strange creatures, fascinating story. Two races battle throughout the galaxies. One with horns (Marko), one with wings (Alana), some magic involved, all the good things. In a Romeo and Juliet situation, Alana helps Marko escape from prison, they have a baby (yes, the two species can have sex) and are on the run from both species and also Freelancers (kind of bounty hunters, I guess).

They want to escape to protect Hazel (who has both wings and horns) and race across Landfall to the Rocketship Forest to find a wooden spaceship so they can go to the planet Quietus. Anyway, their journey is fraught with danger, battles and lots of great dialogue. One they way they meet Izabel, the ghost of a teenage girl, indigenous to the planet, who will help them find their way.

You've also got Prince IV who is ordered to kill them and as well, the aforementioned Freelancers. The story jumps from character to character keeping the story moving along nicely. It's lots of fun, it's imaginative, the dialogue is down to earth and it's sometimes graphic, but it's a great story. I fear it's also a LONG series but if it continues to be as enjoyable, I'll keep going with it. Vol 2 is on the way. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Think, Inc by Adam Diment (Philip McAlpine #4 / 1971). The last book in this 60 / 70's spy series.

"Philip McAlpine, Switched-on, turned-on, pot smoking, pop spy comes in from the cold for a hot number - Chastity, the coal-black sex-kitten."

   

2. A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie (The Age of Madness #1 / 2019). Interesting start, not wasting any time getting into the action.

"The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever.

On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments.

Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.

The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another..."

3. No Next of Kin by Charlotte Armstrong (1959).

"Her father had always taken care of her. Now Dad was running for Congress, and rich, ravishing Andrea Langdon learned it was her turn to protect him... from the ugly threats of her one-time lover Seymour Boyd. And a big contribution to Boyd's personal get-rich-quick campaign seemed a small price to pay.

Political columnist Fergus MacDonald suspected something was troubling Andrea and went canvassing for answers. He found that blackmail wasn't the only crime on Boyd's platform, and Dad wasn't the only one who needed to run. Because Andrea herself was a prime candidate... for murder!"

New Books

(3 new books, one found in a Little Free Library)

1. Lemon in the Basket by Charlotte Armstrong (1969). I've now read two of Armstrong's mysteries.

"A thriller about a rich Los Angeles family and the assassins with whom they are involved."

2. Post After Post-Mortem by E.C.R. Lorac (Robert MacDonald #11 / 1936). My first experience with Lorac was very enjoyable.

"The Surrays and their five children form a prolific writing machine, with scores of treatises, reviews and crime thrillers published under their family name. Following a rare convergence of the whole household at their Oxfordshire home, Ruth – middle sister who writes 'books which are just books' – decides to spend some weeks there recovering from the pressures of the writing life while the rest of the brood scatter to the winds again. Their next return is heralded by the tragic news that Ruth has taken her life after an evening at the Surrays' hosting a set of publishers and writers, one of whom is named as Ruth's literary executor in the will she left behind.

Despite some suspicions from the family, the verdict at the inquest is suicide – but when Ruth's brother Richard receives a letter from the deceased which was delayed in the post, he enlists the help of CID Robert Macdonald to investigate what could only be an ingeniously planned murder."

3. The Toff and the Lady by John Creasey (The Toff #15 / 1946). I have enjoyed so many books by John Creasey, AKA JJ Marric, AKA Anthony Morton.

"The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka ‘The Toff’) received what he thought to be a letter, addressed simply to ‘The Toff, London W1.’ Remarkable in itself in reaching him, inside the envelope there was nothing more than a photograph of a beautiful, but unidentified, woman. In fact, the previous evening the woman herself had attended a society ball, looking somewhat pale but dressed immaculately in black satin and mink. No one knew who she was and she said she had lost her memory. Then, within days, the mystery deepened and The Toff was pitched against her cunning, with murder as the backdrop, whilst his own heart and feelings were both getting in the way of a solution and putting more lives in danger."

So there you go. I really want to get back to my Women Author's theme but it'll have to wait until a later entry. Anyway, hope you see some books or authors that interest you.