An End - November (Almost) Reading Update

t's been an interesting week. A bit of a 'weather bomb' hit the West Coast this week. Lots of trees down, heavy rain, some areas with power outages. We got high winds and lots of rain here in the Valley but at least in our little area the power stayed on. Clyde wasn't very impressed. His walks basically consisted of us opening the back door and sticking him out on the deck so he could wander around the back yard for a few minutes. It was ok yesterday but it's raining quite heavily at the moment. Yuchh. Mount Washington must be happy though. They received 100 centimeters of snow over the past few day. If you click on this link, you can check out their webcams to see how it looks up there.

Moving on from the Canadian tradition of starting off any conversation by talking about the weather, let's move on to my normal reading / new book update.

Just Finished

(I've finished 3 graphic novels since my last update. I'm making steady progress on some of the books I've also working on. More on those next update)

1. Lore Olympus, Vol. Six by Rachel Smythe (2024). I really enjoy this series.

"Lore Olympus: Volume Six, the latest instalment of the Olympus graphic novel series by Rachel  Smythe just keeps moving this series along at a wonderful pace. It took me a little bit to get back into the flow but once I did, I enjoyed so much. So much!

Persephone, goddess of Spring, has caused some destruction in the mortal realm after some tricks by Minthe really, really upset her. Zeus has decided to make an example of her and puts out an arrest warrant for Persephone and also for her mother, Demeter. Hades finds Persephone, basically comatose and brings her to the Underworld realm to heal and protect her. His capable assistant and my favorite character, Hecate, provides assistance. 

While Persephone recovers and the ongoing relationship between her and Hades continues to grow, we get to see more about the other gods. Hera, frustrated and angry at her hubby, Zeus, tries to get to the bottom of what happened between Persephone and Apollo (If you haven't read the earlier books, I won't ruin that for you). She goes to meet Hades and Persephone and promises Persephone that she will help her in any way she can. 

Minthe, still jealous and angry at being set aside by Hades for Persephone, still wants answers from Hades! Will she go to the Underworld to demand these answers? The story jumps into the past to when Minthe first meets Hades. There are other trips into the past, as Persephone tells about her childhood to Hades and he also talks about how Kronos swallowed him and his brother Poseidon and how Zeus saved him. Fascinating stuff.

It's a rich, entertaining, engrossing story that just keeps getting better. The modernization of the gods is really handled so well. I particularly loved the Zoom call between Zeus and the other Olympians as he tries to demand that Persephone be given up for trial. It's so neat. The story, the drawing, the artwork, the coloring is all handled so very well. Once you get going, it's difficult to put down. You will want to read until the end. I just got my copy of Volume 7... How long will I resist it? (4.5 stars)"

2. The Sandman, Vol. 9 - The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman (1995). I've hesitated to continue reading this series. (Comment in my review).

"I have to say that the Sandman graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman has been a favorite of mine since I started reading it. 

(Ed note. I have hesitated to continue with and finish this series after reading about sexual assault allegations against Gaiman. I have decided to finish the series but will look at any other books I have by him and whether I will continue. You can decide for yourself whether you want to read the review or read any of his work. I'll just say that he hasn't been taken to court as far as I can tell, but it still does cloud my enjoyment of the story.)

Anyway, I still gave The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones a 4-star rating because it's a darn good tale. In this story we get to meet pretty well all of the people who have peopled the earlier stories. My favorites are Rose, who goes to England to see what her dead grandmother has left for her in the old estate; Matthew, the raven, Sandman's regular companion; & Sandman's sister, Death. She doesn't make a big enough appearance but she's still great.

Lots going on in this story. Sandman / Dreams is trying to settle his affair throughout this story. He's created a new Corinthian (a murderous killer in a previous book), but a better man this time. He wants Corinthian and Matthew to find Daniel. Daniel is the son of Lyta (aka Hippolyta) who was kidnapped from his bed. Lyta thinks Sandman has kidnapped him and she is searching for the Furies (although they prefer to be called The kindly Ones) This trip takes her to various realms but when she finds them, she demands revenge against Dreams. 

What else??? Nuala, a fairy princess who had been given to Dreams many stories ago and works as his maid (sort of) is given back to the land of faerie as the request of the faerie queen. Nuala doesn't really want to go and she will try to return when she finds that Dreams is in danger... 

OK??? Dreams other sister Delirium is searching for her doggie (she is a strange one) and she also realizes Dreams is in danger and wants him to accompany her... which he doesn't.. Oh Death, or Satan or whatever, who had left Hell to live as a night club pianist, is having second thoughts about it. He shows up periodically.

The Kindly Ones will eventually attack Dream's lands and begin killing off his associates. Various other evil critters; Loki, Pan, etc will make appearances and what are they doing?

There is so much going on but it's all so fascinating so well drawn and so interesting. Is it resolved in the end? Some things are but there is still Vol 10, The Wake, sitting on my shelf to finish the series, which I will do. (4.0 stars)"

3. Monstress, Volume 4 - The Chosen by Rachel Liu & Sana Takeda (2019). There are so many excellent graphic novels to read. I've enjoyed focusing on them in November.

"I readily admit that lots of the time I don't know what is going on in the Monstress graphic novel series by Marjorie M. Liu. It's a wild ride. So many interesting characters, the story moves between them in the blink of an eye. In between chapters, the noted cat professor, Tam Tam, tries to educate us about the Known World and its history and people so that's definitely helped. Monstress, Volume 4: The Chosen continues this excellent, exciting story.

The main characters, Maika Half-Wolf, Kippa the little Fox and Ren the wizard cat are all separated, each trying to survive the catastrophe of the 3rd book. Maika is now with her father (she doesn't want to be) and the god that is inside her, Zinn, isn't responding. Kippa is a prisoner, sort of, of a group trying to bring her to the Doctor (another name for Maika's daddy) but she escapes ... sort of.. LOL. As Kippa is growing up she seems to be developing her own powers. What are they? Darned  if I know... well, not exactly. Ren betrayed Maika and Kippa in the last book but is now trying to redeem himself. 

And of course, there are all of the other story lines. Maika's daddy has gathered the great human war lords together and plans to war against the Arcanics, the Dawn & Dusk courts. The Arcanics have joined together with the marriage of the two Queens (or maybe princesses). But even there, you find friction. So that is sort of the gist of this story. Maika trying to deal with her father and still seeing 'visions' of her mother, Moriko Half-Wolf, Kippa trying to get to Maika and what about Ren? Well, that's the wild ride you'll have to follow with this story.

Beautifully drawn and colored Sana Takeda and wonderfully told by Marjorie Liu, it's a fascinating fantasy story. Every book (this one covers issues 19 - 24) draws you in and keeps you turning pages to see what will happen next. I loved it and can't wait for Vol. 5 - Warchild to see where their journey will take them next. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Tank Girl Three by Jamie Hewlett & Alan C. Martin (2009). (My fun series.)

"Concerned parents everywhere - rejoice! Tank Girl's back and she's madder than ever! Join our bullet-spraying, bloke-spaying heroine as she yet again wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting world, with a titanic battle against evil bounty hunters, a fascinating odyssey through the culinary world, the astonishing, all-true story of popular beat combo The Smiths, the lovely Jet Girl, the unlovely Booga, and more dead nasties than you can shake some sick at! Complete with unseen material from artist Jamie Hewlett (Gorillaz) and writer Alan Martin, it's another action-packed, outrageous adventure! Warning: Adults only!"

2. George Orwell's 1984, The Graphic Novel by Fido Nesti (2021). It's been years since I read the novel. It seemed appropriate to read it again.

"In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston Smith is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called the Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

With evocative, immersive art from Fido Nesti, this vision of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece provides a new perspective for longtime fans but is also an accessible entry point for young readers and adults who have yet to discover the iconic story that is still so relevant today."

New Books

(3 new graphic novels and one book)

1. Lore Olympus, Vol. 7 by Rachel Smythe (2024). So I finish Vol 6 and then next day I wander through my local book store and there was the next volume..

"Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love—the Greek tale of Hades and Persephone gets a romantic modern update in the gorgeously illustrated, Eisner Award-winning Lore Olympus, including a brand new bonus short story!

An ingenious take on the Greek Pantheon, Lore Olympus is a modern update on the story of Hades and Persephone. Follow the propulsive love story of two Greek gods, told with lavish artwork and contemporary sensibilities.

This full-color edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 153-179 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus."

2. Best Canadian Stories 2025 by Steven W. Beattie (2024). I have enjoyed these collections before.

"Selected by editor Steven W. Beattie, the 2025 edition of Best Canadian Stories showcases the best Canadian fiction writing published in 2023.

Chris Bailey • Christine Birbalsingh • Cody Caetano • Kate Cayley • Lynn Coady • Caitlin Galway • Marcel Goh • Beth Goobie • Mark Anthony Jarman • Saad Omar Khan • Chelsea Peters • Kawai Shen • Liz Stewart • Glenna Turnbull • Catriona Wright • Clea Young"

3. Woman, Life, Freedom by Marjane Satrapi (2023). This looked like something I should read.

"An urgent, groundbreaking and visually stunning new collection of graphic story-telling about the present Iranian revolution, using comics to show what would be censored in photos and film in Iran.

Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis , returns to graphic art with this collaboration of over 20 activists, artists, journalists, and academics working together to depict the historic uprising, in solidarity with the Iranian people and in defense of feminism.

On September 13th 2022, a young Iranian student, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by the religious police in Tehran. Her only crime was that she wasn’t properly wearing the headscarf required for women by the Islamic Republic. At the police station, she was beaten so badly she had to be taken to the hospital, where she fell into a deep coma. She died three days later.

A wave of protests soon spread through the whole country, and crowds adopted the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”—words that have been chanted around the world during solidarity rallies.

In order to tell the story of this major revolution happening in her homeland, Marjane Satrapi has gathered together an array of journalists, activists, academics, artists, and writers from around the world to create this powerful collection of full-color, graphic-novel-style essays and perspectives that bear

Woman, Life, Freedom demonstrates that this is not an unexpected movement, but a major uprising in a long history of women who have wanted to affirm their rights. It will continue."

4. Something is Killing the Children, Vol 1 by James Tynion IV (2020).

"When children begin to go missing in the town of Archer’s Peak, all hope seems lost until a mysterious woman arrives to reveal that terrifying creatures are behind the chaos - and that she alone will destroy them, no matter the cost.

IT’S THE MONSTERS WHO SHOULD BE AFRAID.

When the children of Archer's Peak—a sleepy town in the heart of America—begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible details of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to be the only one who sees what they can see.

Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it must be done."

Women Authors Whose Work I've Enjoyed - Jenny White

Jenny White

I kind of discovered Jenny White by accident a few years back. There wasn't a lot of information on her except that she wrote a trilogy featuring Turkish police officer Kamil Pasha. The first book was so good and it took me awhile to find the others. As far as I can tell, they were the only books she has written. Do more!

1. The Sultan's Seal (#1 / 2006).

"I found some of the story arcs in this book confusing at times as I wasn't sure if we were in the present in the past. But I still enjoyed the story very much. I liked the era the story was told in, the late 1800's in Ottoman Turkey, the characters, especially Kamil Pasha, who is called upon to solve the murder of an English woman, and Sybil, the English ambassador's daughter, who helps Kamil with his investigation. I also liked the potential relationship, the physical tension that seemed to be developing between the two. There is so much going on, the intricacies of the Ottoman culture, the Young Turks trying to instill a European style parliament, and the mystery itself and its possible tie-in with a previous murder. Very enjoyable first book by Jenny White. I'll be looking for the other books in the series. (4 stars)"

2. The Abyssinian Proof (#2 / 2007).

"It's been a few years since I read the first book in Jenny White's Kamil Pasha historical mystery series; that being The Sultan's Seal. My standard excuse, too many books, not enough time... Also, I have to say, I've only seen her books online, not at my locals, anyway. 

OK, enough of that... 

The Abyssinian Proof, the 2nd book, was also an excellent story. It's set in an exotic locale, Istanbul during the dying days of the mighty Ottoman Empire. The story starts in 1453 to introduce the holy item, called The Proof of God, that becomes the prime mover of the current story. 

Kamil Pasha is a police inspector in Istanbul and he is tasked to solve a spate of thefts of historical, religious artifacts. His superior leads him to believe that his failure to do this might result in a negative impact to Pasha's career. Thrown into the mix of this story are a number of wonderful characters; the homeless boy, Avi, who becomes a useful assistant to Pasha, Elif, the troubled artist, who escaped Macedonia after the murders of her husband and son, and Omar, a police captain who provides humour and a crusty pragmatism as he assists Pasha in his investigations. There are other interesting developments that also make the story rich and fascinating (the community who live in the Sunken Village, and who the stolen Proof is so important to their religious life).

The story is almost to rich to describe in a few words. Istanbul is such an interesting city, peopled with a diverse culture, and with such a great history. The characters are all well-written and sympathetic and the mystery, itself, is unique and interesting. The story moves along at a nice pace and holds your interest. I developed strong feelings for many of the characters and felt happy and sad and angry as they did. It's an excellent story with neat religious aspects to it; such as those explored in other books, like Dan Brown's recent series. You can enjoy this without reading the first book, but you should work your way through the stories as each are excellent. Unfortunately only one more book in this series (so far anyway) and I'll have to get a copy of The Winter Thief. (4 stars)"

3. The Winter Thief (#3 / 2010).

"The Winter Thief by Jenny White is the third and so-far, the last book in her historical mystery series featuring Turkish Special Prosecutor Kamil Pasha. I do hope that at some point, she decides to continue the series but this third book was published in 2010 so it's not looking good.

This book is a rich. exciting mystery and historical adventure. It starts off with the robbery of the Imperial Ottoman Bank of a haul of gold and gems by purported Armenian nationalists. At the end of the robbery, there is an explosion that also destroys a near-by café, causing a major fire. It seems that Kamil's brother-in-law, Huseyin, may have been hurt severely by the fire as he meets in the café with another woman.

The investigation conducted by Kamil, at the direction of the Minister of Justice, Nisam Pasha, will lead him into conflict with the head of the secret police, Vahid, a terrifying, evil man. This conflict will endanger, Kamil, his sister, Feride and his friend, Elif, and all of his close friends and acquaintances.. Besides himself of course.

The investigation will ultimately lead him to a conflict in Eastern Turkey, where a group of idealistic Socialists are trying to form a Utopian community (with the help of arms bought in America and also the stolen gold.. but let's not think on that too much). That is the gist of this fantastic story.

The story, itself, will move from character to character; Kamil, Vahid, Armenian woman Vera, held and tortured by the secret police, Feride (searching for her missing husband), Omar, Kamil's friend and police chief, and so many others. There is intrigue, danger, love and so much more. It's a fascinating story, offering a historic perspective of the time and a great picture of such an exotic country as it struggles with the past and the future. There is a constant menace from the secret police, especially Vahid, who will give you the creeps. Great story and excellent, satisfying conclusion, leaving a teaser of future stories. I definitely hope there will be more. (5 stars)"

If you wish to read more about Jenny White there is some information at this link.