A Mid-January Update

It's a beautiful sunny day here in our little valley on Vancouver Island. Other than a fair bit of rain, we've had a pretty good winter so far. And I believe the ski hill on Mount Washington is probably doing well too. While we have rain, it's 10 degrees cooler up there so they tend to get snow.. (Editor's note. I guess the sunshine has meant they don't have enough snow on some courses.. Too bad)

Anyway, it's mid January 2026 so let's provide a reading update.

Completed

8 books / graphic novels completed this year so far, with four since my most recent update.

1. The Poison Belt and Other Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle (Sci Fi / 1966).

"The Poison Belt and Other Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle contains three stories featuring Professor Challenger who first appeared in The Lost World. This collection contains The Poison Belt (1913), The Disintegration Machine (1929) (I had read this previously as a standalone novella but read it once more) & When the World Screamed (1928). It does not contain The Land of Mist, which I have yet to read.

The Poison Belt is the longest of the 3 and deals with Professor Challenger and his 3 close friends, along with his wife, dealing with the Earth travelling through a poison belt of ether. Challenger has stated that it will cause the end of the Earth and as the friends seek sanctuary on his estate, in a specially sealed room to wait out their deaths, they watch the world around them (near Brighton) collapse; people dying in the fields, trains crashing, towns burning, etc. I have to say it's a pretty grim old story but since it's not the last of the Challenger books, I'll leave the conclusion to you. It was definitely an interesting concept and we get to see Challenger at his brusque, superior best.

The Disintegration Machine involves a Challenger and his friend Malone (who narrates most of the Challenger stories) meeting with a Latvian scientist who has invented a machine that can disintegrate a body / object to its basic atoms and then at a later date, can reconstitute them elsewhere. He has sold the invention to an enemy nation. Think of the possibilities; disintegrating armies and then reconstituting them behind enemy lines. How will the duo stop him???

The final story, When the World Screamed is also a neat idea. Challenger believes that the Earth is like a human body. We don't notice smaller creatures, e.g. mosquitoes, etc. until they make their presence felt. Challenger's theory is that the Earth is just a larger body that doesn't even notice humanity on its surface. He has been digging a tunnel into the Earth's surface, 8 miles deep, so he can see what will happen when he pricks the Earth's core. This story is narrated by a friend of Malone's (Malone is also in the story), who is an artesian boring expert who has been hired by Challenger to finish the final part of the project. Another neat idea and quickly gets to the point. Interesting result also.

Challenger is a complex character, a genius who irritates and also causes great admiration from his friends and colleagues. Malone describes him as a cross between a Neanderthal and a genius, one you probably hate but can't help admiring. I was going to rate the stories 3.0, but the more I write about them and the ideas developed by Doyle, I think I've got to rate the stories higher... (4.0 stars)"

2. Tank Girl: The Odyssey by Peter Milligan (2003).

"Tank Girl: The Odyssey by Peter Milligan wasn't my favorite of this unique series but it was still a neat story, a parody of both Homer's Odyssey and James Joyce's Ulysses.

We find Tank Girl (Odysseus) and her pals Jet Girl, Sub Girl and a few others in Ireland. Tank Girl's confidence has been destroyed (I think because of the Hollywood movie's lack of success) and she is drinking and eating herself into oblivion. Meanwhile.... back in Australia, Booga (Penelope), her mutant kangaroo lover is being pressured by Tony the Blazer to sign a multi year movie contract. Their son (Telemachus), hand made from a TV and human parts is trying to contact Tank Girl to get her to return home and save Booga from this peril.

The story is the voyage back to Australia, a voyage fraught with dangers, including Tank Girl's dead mother, whose ghost wants vengeance on TG's father. When TG fails to revive mom, she makes the voyage even harder.

If you're familiar with the Odyssey, you'll recognize the varied characters from the story, tarted up and made weirdly interesting in this story. Like any Tank Girl graphic novel, it's wild, crazy, violent and just fun. One of the more unique graphic novel series I've ever read. (3.0 stars)"

3. Money Shot by Christa Faust (Angel Dare #1 / 2008).

"Money Shot by Christa Faust is the 1st book in the Angel Dare mystery series. Having said that I don't believe a 2nd book has been put out... not that that matters in the grand scope of things. This is one of the pulp mysteries from the Hard Case crime catalogue and it fits right in.

Angel Dare is an ex-porn star (although she still dabbles) who now runs an agency hiring out women for roles in porn movies and as dancers, etc. She agrees on short notice to help out an old friend in the business by acting in one of his movies because his original actress isn't available. Of course it's a trick and Angel finds herself abused and interrogated, then stuck in the trunk of a car, shot and left for dead. The man who hired her is also shot.

It turns out that earlier a young woman had shown up at Angel's offices trying to find a Romanian friend in the business and seems to have stolen a suitcase full of cash belonging to the perpetrators. They think Angel knows about it and that is the reason for their actions. Angel's office is trashed, the police think she's murdered Sam (the man who hired her) and her life has been left in total disarray. 

After she had escaped from the trunk of the car, she manages to phone Malloy, an ex - cop who provides security for Angel when she needs it. The two of them will try to discover what is going on, find the money and as well, especially on Angel's part, gain some revenge on the people who caused this.

It's an action packed story with some violence and also takes a look at the porn industry. Interesting story and Angel is a strong, interesting character. It all goes along at a quick pace and has a satisfying ending, albeit with a bit of tragedy thrown in throughout the story. (3.0 stars)"

4. The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet #3 / 2010).

"The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi is the 3rd book in the Amulet fantasy series. I have enjoyed each book in the series so far, savoring the artwork, the story and the wonderful characters.

In Volume 3, Emily and her brother Navin Hayes along with their mother and a wonderful assortment of fantastical characters are heading off in an airship to find the cloud city of Cielis. They are also trying to escape the clutches of the evil Elf King and his hired assassin, Gabilan. They have taken on board the Elf King's son and his companion as they have also been threatened by the Elf King. Both sides still have considerable distrust of each other but they try to work it out.

It's a wonderful, action packed adventure that immediately draws you in and holds your attention. All of the characters are interesting, brave and just a joy to get to know. Wonderful series and I will continue to savor in small portions. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

I'll list the books I've started since my last update.

1. Worlds Without End by Clifford D. Simak (1964). I'm almost finished this. Three short stories, the first was ok, the 2nd was better and I'm enjoying the 3rd and final so far.

"A link between yesterday and the tomorrow that was here already... Dreams constructed and maintained by society... A world-to-world search for an elusive secret...

The bizarre, weird strange creations of things and world only Clifford D. Simak could have written... and make believable.

Three stories three times as weird by one of the master writers of this, or any, world.

Contents:
- Worlds without end
- The Spaceman's Van Gogh
- Full cycle."

2. The Big Fat Kill by Frank Miller (Sin City #3 / 1994).

"With The Big Fat Kill Frank Miller is at it again with another comics packed with guns, lovers, losers, and surprises. In Sin City's Old Town, the prostitutes run the show. "The cops stay out. That leaves the girls free to keep the pimps and the mob out." Sounds like an OK place, right? It is until a pushy, loud-mouthed guy who has had one too many drinks comes into Old Town and gets himself killed by the ladies. When they find out who he is, they realize that "it'll be war. The streets will run red with blood. Women's blood."

3. Any Man's Death by Loren D. Estleman (Peter Macklin #3 / 1986). Interesting series about a hit man in Detroit.

"Peter Macklin, an assassin for organized crime, is assigned to prevent the killing of an outspoken TV evangelist by a rival gang, only to learn the rival killer is his teenage son."

New Books

Surprise, surprise, only one new book since my last update.

1. Stranger than Truth by Vera Caspary (1946). I've previously enjoyed Laura and Bedelia by Vera Caspary.

"Vera Caspary, the famed author of Laura , gives us another gripping crime drama, told through shifting points of view.
 
John Ansell, young and idealistic editor of Truth and Crime magazine, wants to breathe new life into the stale and formulaic publication. Instead of rehashing a story that’s already been proven popular elsewhere, he finds a fresh the murder of Warren G. Wilson, famed figurehead of a correspondence course. The murder itself isn’t too remarkable—just a bullet in the back—but the victim is another case, as it becomes apparent that despite having a household name, nothing is known about him. Perhaps even more peculiar is how Ansell’s boss absolutely refuses to run the story and, soon thereafter, Ansell is poisoned."

So there you go folks. Maybe you'll see a book that tweaks your interest in this group. Enjoy the rest of January.