What's next on the Challenge List, You Ask? Well....

Our daughter's visit is winding down. Jenn is planning to take Anthony back to Kye Bay for a final walk along the seaside one more time. Yesterday she volunteered to work at the annual Florence Filberg festival and enjoyed herself. Anthony stayed with us. He seems to be getting used to it. We're all enjoying watching the Commonwealth Games and have hooked Jenn on 25 Words or Less. 😎 It's been a nice visit.

Today I thought I'd provide a list of the next books I plan to read as I work on my various challenges. I don't necessarily follow it religiously but it helps set a target.

1. 12 + 4 Challenge - Short Stories. So far, I've completed 9 books in this challenge. I'm currently reading Cobra Trap by Peter O'Donnell, a collection of Modesty Blaise adventures. Enjoying so far. Next in line is a collection by an author I've been exploring quite a bit, John Buchan. He wrote the John Hannay series, starting with The 39 Steps. The Strange Adventures of Mr. Andrew Hawthorn & Other Stories was initially published in 1932. It contains 18 stories by Buchan

2. 12 + 4 Challenge - Graphic Novels. I completed this challenge in April, graphic novels being usually nice quick reads. My favorite was Botticelli's Apprentice by Ursula Murray Husted, beautifully drawn and an excellent YA / Historical Fiction story.

3. 12 + 4 Challenge - Shiniest and Newest Books. These were the last 16 books that I added to my bookshelves before 31 Dec 2025. I've completed 8 books so far and am working on Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood. I'm enjoying so very much. My next book in this challenge, oddly enough is a graphic novel, a new series for me; Killadelphia, Volume 1 by Rodney Barnes, a horror series.

4. 12 + 4 Challenge - Dustiest Books. The 16 books that were the earliest I added to my Goodreads TBR list. One of my slower challenges. I've completed 6 so far and am currently enjoying Tess of the d'Urbervilles by William Thackeray. My next book will be a murder mystery, Wycliffe and the Tangled Web by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #15). It's one of my comfort mystery series... one of many.

5. 12 + 4 Challenge - Shorter Books. This was the challenge I added after completing my Graphic novels challenge. They are, for the most part, books of less then 200 pages, with just a couple of exceptions. I've completed 9 so far and am reading The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny (Sci Fi / 1966) It's different so far. Next book is one of a trilogy by one of the early Sci Fi authors, The Humanoid Touch by Jack Williamson (Humanoids #2 / 1980.)

The next three challenges are part of my individual reading challenge group and there is some overlap with the above ones. I generally choose the books via random number challenge. I basically divided my TBR by 3 and broke it down to 3 challenges.

6. Individual Reading Challenge - Dustiest Books (#17 - 416). I've read 8 books in this challenge although 2 were DNFs. I'm not reading anything yet as I'm reading more than one if another challenge. But my next book will be a George Eliot classic. I've read 3 or 4 of her books and she was such a great author. My next book will by Romola (1863). I think I've avoided it so far because I'm already reading a Classic and thought it might be hard to keep track of each story. 

7. Slightly Dusty Books (#417 - 832). I've read 5 so far with one being a DNF. I'm currently reading Sepulchre by James Herbert, one of my favorite horror authors. My next book will be American War by Omar el Akkad, a dystopian future, published in 2017.

8. Newest, Shiniest Books (#833 - Present). I find myself easily distracted by the newest books and this has been my most successful challenge. I have read 27 thus far and have 3 on the go; Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (Fan), Inspector West Alone by John Creasey (Mys / Inspector West #9) & Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes (Sci Fi / YA). My next book in this challenge will be The Furies by Keith Roberts (Hor / 1966). I've read one other of Roberts' books and enjoyed very much.

So there you go. Back to normal programming in the coming days. Looking forward to my August reading. Enjoy your month.

Mid July is already here!

Only my 2nd post of July. I have been reading but not as much or as quickly as normal. I do have a few tomes on the go, so that's my excuse.. I've actually got off my butt a bit, cleaned the deck finally and put out the deck chairs. Mowed the lawn, even though it's pretty dried out as we're on Level 3 watering restrictions. I've vetted my book shelves and got rid of a few that have been hanging around. Yada yada... 

Not a lot to report re books, but I have finished two  more and am making steady progress on the others. I'll update my completed books, books I'm starting and any new ones that might have arrived. 

Recently Completed

1. The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan #3 / 1914). Entertaining adventure.

"The Beasts of Tarzan is the 3rd book of Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure series featuring the Lord of the Jungle and it was originally published in 1914. My first exposure to his work was his John Carter of Mars Sci Fi series. I read that a couple of times. Over the past few years, I've been meandering through his other works, some standalones, the Caspak (Land that Time Forgot books). I can't say that his stories are fantastic but they are always entertaining and filled with action and adventure. 

In Tarzan #3, things start off with a bang. An old enemy, the Russian terrorist, Rokov (he was supposed to be in a French prison) and his partner, Paulvitz have a plan to destroy Tarzan's life. At this time, Tarzan is a civilized man, Lord Greystoke, living in London with his wife, Lady Greystoke and their infant child, John. The two schemers want to kidnap John and Tarzan, which they do manage to do. Jane, even though she's told to stay at home, follows the events and is also kidnapped.

Tarzan is dropped off on an isolated island off the west coast of Africa. Rokov plans to turn the baby over to cannibals on the mainland so he'll be turned into one as well. His plans for Jane are to have her reject her husband and choose Rokov. (Not likely, buddy!)

And that's the gist. Tarzan reverts easily to his jungle life style. He hunts, stalks, discovers a humanoid / ape tribe that he 'befriends' and also a black panther, Sheeta, that he wins over to his side when he saves it from a fallen tree. As well, an African tribe has run ashore on the island and after a battle between Tarzan and his friends, their remaining soldiers are also won over to Tarzan's side.

This motley group must find a way to get off the island (may I suggest an airship, a bridge.. oh, right how about a boat... duh) and then they will track Rokov and is group of reprobates through the jungles of Africa to help Tarzan save Jane and his child.

The story moves from Tarzan's perspective to that of Jane and even of the two villains. It's a quickly paced story, even though the writing is a bit turgid, I found. Put aside the portrayal of Africa as a savage, violent land (not that I was alive in 1914 to know what much of the world was like) peopled by cannibals and wild tribes, the story is still exciting and Tarzan always finds honorable,  faithful friends no matter where he finds himself.

Lots of action, lots of bodies, friendship, vengeful enemies, roaring jungle beasts, it's got a bit of everything you'd expect from Burroughs. Some of the throw-ins, like the sudden appearance of more villains, seemed unnecessary, but they all served a purpose. Not great, but still entertaining (2.5 stars)"

2. The Unquiet Night by Patricia Carlon (Mys / 2001). A new author for me.

"The Unquiet Night by Australian writer, Patricia Carlon was my first attempt at her work. I believe I discovered her during my exploration of the Soho Crime catalogue. It introduced me to many new, interesting authors. She lived from 1927 - 2002 and wrote 14 suspense novels between 1961 and 1970, one obviously being this one. As an aside, I've checked for copies of the other 13 books and thus far have only found one other.

OK, the story. It starts very quickly. A young man, Mart, is in the park with a young woman, Rose, and he's panicking. In a fit of rage, he's murdered her. She went with him, hoping for some fun, but he just wanted to talk about his dreams, etc. and when she said he was a strange bird, he shook her and shook her. Terrified now, he drags her body to a hill overlooking a reservoir, lake... and rolls her down the side into the water.

As he's leaving he sees a lady and young girl, Aunty Rachel and 9-year old Ann. Their eyes make contact, Rachel says hello, he responds and then a rainstorm begins and Rachel grabs Ann and rushes to her car.

As he stands there in the rain, Mart begins to worry. He's not really worried that the pair saw him killing Rose, but when her body is discovered, she might remember him being there. Now begins the real story as Mart tries to find out who the lady and girl are and how he's going to have to silence them.

It's a fascinating story, that grows tenser and tenser as it progresses. The story is told mainly from Mart and Rachel's perspectives, but it jumps from individual to individual as Mart and Rachel make contact with people in the small town. Mart isn't stupid and is quite ingenious in his way of trying to find out who Rachel and Ann are. But these contacts start to develop a picture for the police and mainly Rachel's sort of boyfriend, Steve, a radio broadcaster, who until the exciting ending, begins to put pieces together until the satisfying final sentence.

Carlon gives you a nice perspective of how people react to Mart's telephone calls, the fear he begins to inculcate in local mothers as he tries to find out Ann's name. I don't want to ruin the story because you should get the full impact, but trivial  little normal day-to-day activities impact on the final part of the story. Will Mart be able to silence Rachel and Ann? Why are people so frustrating!! I'll get at that tomorrow... No, no! You need to do it now! 

It's filled with those little scenarios that make suspense so suspenseful, disconnecting your phone so nobody can disturb you, telling your daughter that you don't want to talk to her about what she might have seen, etc. A pleasant surprise and I'm looking forward to reading my other book by Carlon, The Whispering Wall (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading (One book started since my last update)

1. Traitor's Doom by John Creasey (Dr. Palfrey #1 / 1942) Continuing my exploration of the work of Creasey.

"Nazi Agents are at work in the neutral countries of Europe - attempting to subvert so as to provide further easy victims for the Third Reich. Dr. Palfrey and the 'Rescue Squad' are faced with the challenge and danger of meeting this treachery and overcoming the full might of the German state in its quest for power. There is much standing against them, and they are likely to be uncovered and caught at any moment, but they must succeed as the fate of the allies may depend upon it."

New Books (believe it or not only one book has arrived... Darn it!)

1. Zone One by Colson Whitehead (Horror / 2011). I've read one other book by Whitehead, but it wasn't horror.

"A pandemic has devastated the planet, sorting humanity into two the uninfected and the infected, the living and the living dead. The worst of the plague is now past, and Manhattan is slowly being resettled. Armed forces have successfully reclaimed the island south of Canal Street - aka 'Zone One' and teams of civilian volunteers are clearing out the remaining infected 'stragglers'.

Mark Spitz is a member of one of these taskforces and over three surreal days he undertakes the mundane mission of malfunctioning zombie removal, the rigors of Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder, and attempting to come to terms with a fallen world.

But then things start to go terribly wrong..."

Books in the Hopper (depending on the which book by challenge I complete next, these are a few of the books I've got waiting on my computer desk)

1. The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny (Sci Fi / 1966).

2. Inspector West Alone by John Creasey (Inspector West #9 / Thriller / 1950). I hope to read a few more by Creasey / Marric before the end of the year.

3. Wycliffe and the Tangle Web by W.J. Burley (Inspector Wycliffe #15 / 1988) I'm making excellent progress on this series

4. American War by Omar El Akkad (Dys / 2017). I've read Akkad's non-fiction work and thought it was very thought provoking.

5. Romola by George Eliot (Classics / 1863) I might not start this until I finish Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 

6. Cobra Trap by Peter O'Donnell (Modesty Blaise / 1996) A collection of short stories featuring action heroine Modesty Blaise.

7. Killadelphia by Rodney Barnes (Vol 1 / 2019). A new graphic novel horror series recommended by a friend.

So there you go friends. Some reading ideas for you. Enjoy the rest of July.

While the Muffins Cool....

They're almost like mine, without the cinnamon

No that's not a book or song title, my bran muffins are cooling down so I thought I'd do a quick near end of May Reading update before I have a couple. 

So let's get right to it.

Completed since last update

(one book completed since my last update and I've almost completed one more. Hoping to before May 31st)

1. Skeleton Key by Jane Haddam (Gregor Demarkian #16 / 2000) It's always fun getting back to this series. This was part of my Dusty Book challenge.

"Every couple of years I pick up a Gregor Demarkian mystery and wonder what's wrong with me! Why did it take so long? I guess that at least I still have a few more of the series to savor. Skeleton Key is the 16th book in this entertaining series by American author, Jane Haddam. Haddam passed away in 2019 so when I read the next 15 or so, that'll be it. 😔

Anyway, enough rambling. I have not been reading this series in sequence so while some personal events have probably passed me by, it's not difficult to get into the swing of things with the series. Gregor is an ex FBI profiler who now assists the police with investigations, when he's asked. Gregor refuses to take payment as he feels it leaves him more freedom to operate. In this particular story, Bennis Hannaford, famous fantasy author and Gregor's 'girlfriend', is in Connecticut trying to help a family 'friend' and when the daughter is found (found by Bennis actually) murdered in the garage of the house where Bennis is staying, she calls Gregor to come and help the state and local police. (Bennis has cleared this already with the police and they are more than willing to accept Gregor's assistance. Kayla Anson, the murdered girl, is an 18 year old heiress and the police worry about the national publicity)

So Gregor makes his way to Litchfield County (Bennis has coordinated train travel as Gregor doesn't drive.. one of his many quirks) and to the hotel where she has arranged accommodation for the both of them. Bennis is quite sick, even to the point of coughing up blood. (this concerns me quite a bit as she is one of my favorite characters in the series). Gregor is aware of this but is also caught up in his investigation and travelling around with the local state trooper.

It's a meandering story, told from many points of view. Each person is interesting, different and has their own problems. And all have somewhat of a relation to the case. Over the course of the story you'll get to know them better and this adds to the richness and quality of the story on the whole. As well, more bodies will crop up, oddly enough, all in the same garage and Bennis will get sicker and eventually head back to Philadelphia to see her doctor... (Concern is getting more concerning!! I don't like this)

It's a fascinating mystery. Gregor is an interesting investigator and the police, unlike in some series, don't resent his assistance but welcome it and work effectively with him. But the story doesn't neglect Gregor's good friends in Philadelphia. There are issues there that he is constantly reminded of. 

There is almost too much to tell; a neat mystery peopled with great characters, a fascinating investigator worried about the case and about his friends in Philly and his relationship with Bennis. But amazingly, Jane Haddam keeps you turning pages as she slowly and skillfully ties all these threads together in a satisfying conclusion. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

Time to dust off a classic.

1. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (Classics / 1891). I've read two other works by Hardy so far, Far from the Madding Crowd and Life's Little Ironies.

"Tess is an innocent young girl until the day she goes to visit her rich 'relatives', the D'Urbervilles, in hope that they might help her alleviate her own family's poverty. Her encounter with her manipulative cousin, Alec, leads her onto a path that is beset with suffering and betrayal. When she falls in love with another man, Angel Clare, Tess sees a potential escape from her past, but only if she can tell him her shameful secret..."

New Arrivals

(4 new books have arrived on my door step.. well, sort of)

1. Banking on Death by Emma Lathen (John Putnam Thatcher #1 / 1961). A new author for me.

"The Sloan receives a request for an advance against a trust that does not permit it. John Putnam Thatcher gets involved by one heir, Arthur Schneider, President of Schneider Manufacturing, and grandson of the founder who left a trust for his grandchildren upon the death of all of their parents. The last parent is about to die from natural causes. One heir is missing and Thatcher, Trinkam, and Nicholls, all Emma Lathen regulars work to find the missing heir. Soon they learn a murder is involved and it takes Thatcher to unravel the Gordian knot."

2. Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal el-Mohtar (Short Stories / Fantasy / 2026). I've read one other book by el-Mohtar, This is How You Lose the Time War and thought it was very imaginative.

"Full of glimpses into gleaming worlds and fairy tales with teeth, Seasons of Glass and Stories is a collection of acclaimed and awarded work from Amal El-Mohtar.

With confidence and style, El-Mohtar guides us through exquisitely told and sharply observed tales about life as it is, was, and could be. Like miscellany from other worlds, these stories are told in letters, diary entries, reference materials, folktales, and lyrical prose.

Full of Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, and Hugo Award-winning and nominated stories, Seasons of Glass and Stories includes "Seasons of Glass and Iron," "The Green Book," "Madeleine," "The Lonely Sea in the Sky," "And Their Lips Rang with the Sun," "The Truth About Owls," "A Hollow Play," "Anabasis," "To Follow the Waves," "John Hollowback and the Witch," "Florilegia, or, Some Lies About Flowers," "Pockets," and more."

3. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann (Sheep Detectives #1 / 2005). They've turned this into a movie. I thought I should read the book first.

"Something is not right with George the shepherd. His sheep have gathered around him outside the cozy Irish village of Glennkill to assess the situation. George has cared for the sheep, reading them books every night, and now he lies pinned to the ground with a spade. His flock, far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep, sets out to find George’s killer, led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world).

Her team of investigators includes Othello, who was rescued from the Dublin Zoo; Mopple the Whale, who is always hungry and remembers everything; and Zora, an existential ewe—just to name a few. Together, the sheep discuss the crime late into the night, and their speculations vary wildly. Determined to unravel the mystery, they embark on furtive missions into the village, where they encounter a hoof-full of two-legged suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher who smells of death; Rebecca, the secretive village newcomer; and Father Will, a sinister priest the sheep call God."

4. The First Thousand Trees by Premee Mohamed (Annual Migration of Clouds #3 / 2025). I enjoyed the 1st book in this trilogy and also The Butcher of the Forest, both excellent stories. I have a couple of other books by Mohamed as well. 

"After making a grievous mistake that ended in death, Henryk Mandrusiak feels increasingly ostracized within his own community, and after the passing on of his parents and the departure of his best friend, Reid, there is little left to tie him to the place he calls home. Henryk does something he never expected: he sets out into the harsh wilds alone, in search of far-flung family. He finds his uncle's village, but making a life for himself in this unfriendly new place -- rougher and more impoverished than the campus where he grew up -- isn't easy. Henryk strives to carve out a place of his own but learns that some corners of his broken world are darker than he could have imagined.

This stunning novella concludes the story Mohamed started in The Annual Migration of Clouds and continued in We Speak Through the Mountain, bleaker than ever but still in search of a spark of hope in the climate apocalypse."

So there you go. Some more reading ideas for you. Now to grab myself a couple muffins and a cup of coffee for brekkie. Enjoy your weekend! Stay safe.

Happy Thursday

Had a reasonable run / walk this morning. There were a couple of slick patches on the sidewalk. We've had near 0 ℃ temperatures and some fog the past few days (Yes, I realize it's nothing like what's being experienced back East... stay warm and safe by the way) so it has made things a bit greasy. But it was still a refreshing run. Jo started a new chemo regime yesterday and it didn't seem to affect her too much. We had a nice lunch and a pretty good dinner; a couple of Aussie steaks, fried potatoes and some veggies. I'm a pretty darn good cook. It's nice she seems to have her taste back again and is enjoying her meals.

I'm off to donate blood this afternoon but thought it might be good to do a quick update.

Just Completed

(4 completed and one Did Not Finish - DNF since my last update)

1. Worlds Without End by Clifford D. Simak (Short Stories / Sci Fi / 1964).

"Over the past few years, I've been exploring the work of American Sci Fi author, Clifford D. Simak. He's been a hit-and-miss sort of author for me. There have been a couple of 5-star reads, City and The Werewolf Principle but there have also been 2 star selections, like Time Is the Simplest Thing and Empire. So it's always with a bit of trepidation when I decide to try another of his books. 

My latest was a collection of short stories, Worlds Without End, which contains 3 short stories. And, to be fair, this ran the same gamut as the novels I've tried. The first story, Worlds without End was probably my least favorite of the 3. It is set in the far future where people sign up for the Dream, basically hibernation. They've been doing it for 500 years. Norman Blaine is one of the people who works there and gets involved in a struggle between the various Guilds who run Earth. His boss is found murdered. A man escapes after 500 years in Dream. Norman tries to figure out everything, the plots and schemes between the guilds. The concept was interesting but the ending wasn't satisfying and it didn't really grab me... I'd give that one 2.0 - 2.5 stars

Story 2, The Spaceman's Van Gogh, follows Anson Lathrop as he teleports to a distant planet, following a 'famed' artist, Reuben Clay, who had died there. Anson has been following his route through various planets and has jumped to this planet because he has lost Clay's trail. At the planet, Lathrop meets the inhabitants of the planet, a gnomelike people, who had admired Clay, thinking his art was magic. It was a more enjoyable story, still not perfect but thoughtful and interesting... 3.0 stars

The 3rd story, Full Cycle, was definitely my favorite. It's set in a dystopic future and follows history professor Amby Wilson. Wilson's life has been upturned as his university in Minnesota (or somewhere up north) has closed down. Amby decides to go on the road, with his neighbour and family, trying to settle with one of the roving communities that have formed in the US. They work on farms, factories, etc. and move on when that work has been completed. It's a fascinating life. Amby and his friends cannot find a community to settle with as they are all filled up and neither can offer any particular skills. One morning Amby discovers his travelling companions have abandoned them. As Amby continues down the road on his own, he discovers something new and exciting in this 'new' world order. I won't ruin it by getting into much detail but it's quite interesting. Definitely my favorite story and I'd rate that a 4.0 stars. Overall, an interesting read, some better than the other. (3.5 stars)"

2. The Serial Garden; The Complete Armitage Stories by Joan Aiken (2008). My first 5-star read of 2026.

"I can't remember where I heard of this book, The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories by English author Joan Aiken but I'm so glad that I discovered it. Such a wonderful collection of fantasy stories. The cover artwork in this Big Mouth House edition was by American artist Beth Adams. My wife thought it was so striking that I ordered a print of it for her Xmas gift this year. The inside illustrations are also excellent and they are by Andi Watson.

So with that out of the way, what to say about this surprising book. The book contains the complete collection of the Armitage family stories that Joan Aiken wrote over the period 1953, to some previously unpublished that were discovered in 2008. If you've ever enjoyed The Secret Garden, the Narnia books or the fantasy books of Susan Cooper, amongst others, you'll love these stories as well.

The Armitage family live in a small village in southern England and consist of the ever harassed Mr. Armitage, the lovely Mrs. Armitage and their two  children, Mark and Harriet. In the final story, a new edition, Milo, makes an appearance. It's a seemingly normal village, with village fairs, music classes, school life, etc. but it's also peopled with witches, unicorns, magicians, goblins, little people, sometimes the Furies, etc. And the lovely thing is, it's all taken as just in the course of normal events. Sure, the goblins might cause some irritation. Sure the cantankerous witches might cast the odd spell on you if you bother them. But it's all dealt with.

Mark and Harriet live their lives, dealing with all of the fantastical, wonderful things that go on about them, with coolness and aplomb. The stories tend to focus on one or the other, or both. They get the normal illnesses like whooping cough, measles and the other one might have an adventure then. They get visits from weird and strange relatives. Oh, they have a 300 year old ghost who lives in the spare bedroom and in one instance chaperones Harriet on a school day because her parents are otherwise occupied. As I mentioned previously, they also have a unicorn who lives with them and a big old cat, the Walrus.

The fantasies are just so wonderful and imaginative. For the most part they end fairly happily, but even there, there are a couple of story lines that are quite touchingly sad. There is Mr. Johannsson, the music teacher, who lost the love of his life, many years ago when she cast a spell so the two of them could marry, but the message was not passed on by her mean sister. Now the Countess lives in a fairy world waiting for Mr. Johansson. At least two attempts are made by Harriet and Mark to reunite them, but ... well, I'll leave it at that.

The collection of stories are rich, wonderful, entertaining and just a joy to read. They suit adults and at the same time would be wonderful for parents to sit with their children to read together. Just lovely, great stories and a fantastic collection. (5.0 stars)"

3. The Devil's Breath by Tessa Harris (Dr. Thomas Silkstone #3 / 2013). My first DNF of 2026.

"The Devil's Breath is the 3rd book in the Dr. Thomas Silkstone historical mystery series by Tessa Harris. I 'liked' the first two books but after 85 pages of this 3rd book, I've decided to put the book & series down. 

In the Devil's Breath a mysterious fog is sweeping across England (acid rain??) and people are dying when caught out in it. At the same time, Thomas and his fiancé Lady Lydia are looking for her son. She had always assumed that the boy died in birth but it turns out that her husband of that time, had given it to a wet nurse... When he died, the wet nurse put the child into a work 'camp'.... 

And there is more intrigue as someone else is trying to find the boy, as, being the next male of the family, he stands to inherit the estate from his father.. 

It was an interesting concept but I just couldn't find enough interest to keep going... Please don't use my review to make your decision. If you liked the 1st two, keep on going. But for me, I'm finished... (NR)"

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

"Sin City, Vol. 3: The Big Fat Kill is the 3rd volume of the Sin City graphic novel series by Frank Miller. Dwight is with Shellie when her abusive boyfriend and some pals barge in. They want Shellie to get some of her girl friends so they can all party. Dwight scares them away so the 'boys' decide to joyride around Sin City to find girls.

Unfortunately, they run into Gail and the other girls who run Sin City, with an arrangement with the cops. The cops will stay away and the girls will control the prostitution, drugs and keep the city safe. Jackie Boy and pals harass one of the ladies of the night and are attacked and killed by Gail, Mihu and the other girls.

Dwight and Gail discover that Jackie Boy is actually an undercover cop so they need to dispose of the body so the cops won't know he's dead. While Dwight takes all of the bodies to the tar pits, the mob hits Sin City and take Gail... Lots of problems.

Dwight and the other ladies now have to save Gail and get rid of the mob... 

Needless to say, it's a gritty, violent, stark, excellent story. All of the artwork is black and white which creates a great effect. The characters are drawn so well. Everything about this series is excellent. Great crime novel, great, strong characters and enough action to satisfy you. (4.0 stars)"

5. God Flare by David A. Robertson (Reckoner Rises #3 / 2024).

"God Flare| is the 3rd graphic novel in the Reckoner Rises graphic novel series by Canadian indigenous author David Alexander Robertson. The series started with a novel trilogy as well. I have yet to read the novels. 

The series is set in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the Wounded Sky reservation. The folks at Mihko Labs are trying to sell the creatures / monsters to another organization but the lab doesn't trust the potential buyers. They have a bad feeling about the buyers and send their pack to deal with them... some weird creatures.

Meanwhile, Cole and Eva and the others are trying to discover the God Flare, a potion that will five another of them super powers. They need more so they can do battle with Mihko.

That is the basis premise of this short story. Like the others, it's interesting but it leaves everything hanging at the end. The artwork is excellent and the story is also interesting. I look forward to finding out what happens next when Volume 4 comes out... 

Oh, one neat textual thing happened, the crossing of the 4th wall. One of the characters tells the author that he needs to move on with the story rather than give up secrets of a spirit lodge. And the author (shown in the story) agrees to move on. (3.0 stars)"

Currently Reading (just the books I've started since my last update)

1. The Confession of Brother Haluin by Ellis Peters (Cadfael #15 / 1988).

"Brother Cadfael is witness to a shocking near-death confession and accompanies a fellow Benedictine on a dangerous quest for redemption."

2. Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales by P. D. James (2017). The first two were very interesting.

"A holiday gift for all  P. D. James fans to stand alongside her bestselling The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories : six previously uncollected stories from the beloved "Queen of Crime"--swift, cunning murder mysteries from throughout her extraordinary career.

Put your feet up and enjoy a good read! Longtime P. D. James fans will devour these short tales of criminality and deception, each one a pleasure, evocative and engrossing. Including several stories originally published in magazines, this enchanting arrangement of memorable whodunits treats the reader to atmospheric storytelling, mysteries to be solved, and enjoyable puzzles that will keep you guessing. With wit and warmth, P. D. James pays tribute to her English crime-writing forebears, delighting in the dark secrets that lurk beneath the surface of quintessentially English settings.

       Sleep No More is a beautifully produced, rare gift book, and an exciting addition to the P. D. James library, offering her devoted readers a glimpse of earlier work never before collected between two covers, and--for those who come newly to it--a delightful place to begin."

3. Suez: Britain's End of Empire in the Middle East by Keith Kyle (1991) I have read a shorter story about the Suez crisis but I've wanted to read this for quite a long time.

"Keith Kyle has drawn on a wealth of documentary evidence to tell this fascinating political, military, and diplomatic story of how Britain, France, and Israel colluded in attacking Egypt, ostensibly to protect the Suez Canal, but in reality to depose Gamal Abdul Nasser . The US opposition to this scheme forced an ignominious withdrawal, and Nasser was triumphant. Above all, Britain’s imperial posture was decisively over. Suez is acknowledged as the classic work on the subject."

4. Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace (Archivist Wasp Saga #1 / 2015).

"Wasp's job is simple. Hunt ghosts. And every year she has to fight to remain Archivist. Desperate and alone, she strikes a bargain with the ghost of a super soldier. She will go with him on his underworld hunt for the long-lost ghost of his partner and in exchange she will find out more about his pre-apocalyptic world than any Archivist before her. And there is much to know. After all, Archivists are marked from birth to do the holy work of a goddess. They're chosen. They're special. Or so they've been told for four hundred years.

Archivist Wasp fears she is not the chosen one, that she won't survive the trip to the underworld, that the brutal life she has escaped might be better than where she is going. There is only one way to find out."

New Purchases (I did buy 3 yesterday when I was waiting for Jo to finish her chemo treatment and a couple more came in the mail). I'll highlight a few of them.

1. Bunny by Mona Awad (Bunny #1 / 2019).

"We were just these innocent girls in the night trying to make something beautiful. We nearly died. We very nearly did, didn't we?

Samantha Heather Mackey couldn't be more of an outsider in her small, highly selective MFA program at New England's Warren University. A scholarship student who prefers the company of her dark imagination to that of most people, she is utterly repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort--a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other Bunny, and seem to move and speak as one.

But everything changes when Samantha receives an invitation to the Bunnies' fabled Smut Salon, and finds herself inexplicably drawn to their front door--ditching her only friend, Ava, in the process. As Samantha plunges deeper and deeper into the Bunnies' sinister yet saccharine world, beginning to take part in the ritualistic off-campus Workshop where they conjure their monstrous creations, the edges of reality begin to blur. Soon, her friendships with Ava and the Bunnies will be brought into deadly collision.

The spellbinding new novel from one of our most fearless chroniclers of the female experience, Bunny is a down-the-rabbit-hole tale of loneliness and belonging, friendship and desire, and the fantastic and terrible power of the imagination."

2. Murder Before Evensong by Reverend Richard Coles (Canon Clement #1 / 2022). Jo and I watched the 1st Season of the TV series based on the book(s) and enjoyed it very much.

"Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother - opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey - and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.

When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village.

And then Anthony Bowness - cousin to Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton - is found dead at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs.

As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer."

3. The Aspern Papers by Henry James (1888).

"Arguably the most popular and critically successful of James longer works, The Aspern Papers tells the story of a poetry enthusiast and aspiring biographer driven to desperate lengths to procure the last letters of a recently passed American poet, Jeffrey Aspern. Reflecting many of James own reservations about publicity and biographical exploitation, The Aspern Papers remains a powerful defense of the dignity and privacy that should be afforded all authors in life and in death."

4. Flight Volume 1 by Kazu Kibuishi (2004).

"Flight Volume One features stories by professionals and non-professionals alike, all playing on the theme of flight in its many incarnations. From the maiden voyage of a home-built plane to the adventures of a young courier and his flying whale to a handful of stories about coming of age and letting things go, this first volume of Flight is full of memorable tales that will both amaze and inspire."

There you go. Hoping you see some books that interest you or pique your imagination. Stay warm!

A September Start-up (books, not business)

Epstein survivors press conference

So here we are, the last 1/3rd of the year is just starting. The month has started off nice and sunny. I had a good run this morning. Jo's chemo seemed to go well yesterday. She's currently having a morning nap while I write this. All of the American talk shows started up last night and they were all hot to trot. Very funny stuff. Today, I watched some of the Epstein survivors press conference in front of the House of Congress. Very powerful. The current US president called it all a Democrat hoax, even though there were a number of GOP congresspersons with the survivors. If you're interested in what they have to say, and you should be, I've provided a link to the press conference. Not sure how long You Tube will keep it up, but check it out. Oh yes, all throughout the press conference, the White House was having an Air Force fly past to honor Polish fight pilot. Was he trying to drown out the survivors?

Let's get back to books now. First some stats. I had planned to try and read 120 books in 2025 as part of my Goodreads challenge. So far, I've read 92 books, roughly 22,000 pages. So all in all, I'm very happy with my reading. Since my last update, I've completed 6 books so I'll start there.

Completed Books

1. Murder is for Keeps by Peter Chambers (Mark Preston #1 / 1961).

"In the grand old tradition of Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald and other hard-boiled detectives, I can now add Mark Preston, the creation of Peter Chambers. The first book in his series is Murder is for keeps,, originally published in 1961.

Mark Preston has an office in Monkton, near Los Angeles. One afternoon, he's visited by a new client, Moira Chase, a beautiful rich widow (Is there any other kind?). She's concerned about her stepdaughter's, Ellen, taste in men. Ellen is but 17 and stands to inherit a tidy sum of money when she reaches maturity. She's been hanging around with a jazz pianist, Kent Shubert, who works in town and Moira wants Preston to find out about him and help get rid of him.

What seems a simple case turns into something a mite more... a big mite (is there such a thing? Preston goes to the jazz bar with Shubert plays, gets the lady photographer, who wanders around taking pictures of customers for cash, to get one of Shubert. Preston wants to send it to a fellow private eye in San Francisco, to see if they can dig up anything else on Shubert. 

Preston mails the package to San Francisco, heads home and is mugged by 3 men before he can enter his apartment. His apartment is turned over. Preston feels that maybe they wanted the picture. But, why?

Preston discovers who was behind the mugging, a tough who works for a local night club owner. When he goes to teach 'Little Boy' Wiener a bit of a lesson, he is clubbed again and then finds Little Boy shot to death with his gun. 

Things continue to get interesting as Preston finds himself looking into murders that took place in New York years back that might be related to things going on in Monkton. He's now mixing with the upper crust of the community and slowly finding out more and more. 

It's an entertaining, pulp mystery and Mark Preston is an excellent protagonist. Enough action to keep you happy and enough crime solving and beautiful, intelligent women too. Most enjoyable. Number 2 has been ordered. (3.0 stars)"

2. Fatale Compendium by Ed Brubaker (Graphic novel / 2024). This combined special edition was put together by Indigo books.

"I found Fatale Compendium by Ed Brubaker while browsing the graphic novel shelves in one of my local book stores. I've been buying quite a few graphic novels of late, a mix of novel adaptations and new series / authors. I'm finding them an exciting, alternative genre to explore.

This is my first exposure to Ed Brubaker (as far as I know anyway. I have read some of the Marvel Civil War books, so I may have read his work there) At any rate, let's talk about this compendium which includes the complete Fatale series under one book.

The story is a noir detective novel of sorts but also a Lovecraftian view of the world, a supernatural mystery of sorts. It's dark and gritty filled with action. It follows Josephine, a mysterious woman whose life seems to traverse many eras. She has a power to control men, one she doesn't realize she possesses at times and hates herself for, and then at times she glories in the power and uses it against a secretive organization led by Bishop, a supernatural being whose can be reborn. He wants Josephine for the next Convergence.. What that is isn't really explained, but the world is bound by an owl who ties it up in ribbons... to keep the evil beings underground??? 

Josephine, over the course of her life, has a group of 'assistants' who are immune to her powers.. mystical tattoos seem to have something to do with it. They help teach Josephine about her powers and about those evil ones who need her for the Convergence. 

We meet a number of men affected by Josephine's power. They lover her... does she love them?? and will do anything to help her against the evil that's out there. One gets Bishop's eyes so even though he can still be reborn, he is reborn blind. But he can still sense Josephine when she uses her powers... Are you confused? Well, to be fair, it is a confusing story all around but also a fascinating story. There are back stories. We follow those men who have been impacted by Josephine and still want to help. We travel to Europe during WWII when Bishop and his followers revel in the violence and evil that roamed the continent. We travel across the US from the early 20's to the present.

It's a wide-ranging, fascinating story and well-drawn and inked, peopled with interesting characters. And yes, it's spooky and confusing. I'm glad I took a chance on it. (3.5 stars)"

3. The Big Payoff by Janice Law (Anna Peters #1 / 1975). I have read a couple of other books by Law. This was ok.

"*Sigh* I have to say that I was disappointed with The Big Payoff, the 1st Anna Peters book, by Janice Law. A couple of years back I'd read Under Orion, the 3rd book in the series and while it wasn't perfect, I enjoyed it. The Payoff introduces Anna Peters.

Anna, it seems had previously made considerable cash blackmailing people. But she had given up that life, found a man she loved and begun a career as an executive assistant for T William Harrison (AKA T. Bill) at New World Oil. Anna begins to suspect some of T. Bill's dealings. The company is involved in bidding for oil drilling rights in the North Sea, with other companies. She discovers that scientists working for the British competitor have been killed in mysterious circumstances. 

Anna believes that T Bill is working with folks (maybe the Saudis) to remove the competition. She reports her concerns to the British embassy and then finds herself involved in industrial espionage on their behalf. She's not happy with their dealings with her as they are quite threatening, holding her past life over her head to force her spy on T. Bill.

Everything blows up all at once. Her handler is killed, her boss now threatens to either kill Anna or have her arrested. Fast thinking she ends up sort of working for T. Bill and heads off to deliver stolen documents on his behalf to deadly mysterious folks in Scotland... How will it all end up for Anna?

I like Anna and I do like a good spy story and I liked the industrial espionage aspect. That's a nice different touch. It just seemed that at times there were great leaps of logic and jumping from one fire into the next. But then again, I think most spy stories have that premise. As I mentioned when I discussed the 3rd book, it wasn't perfect but it was entertaining. I like Janice Law's historical mystery series featuring Francis Bacon (the English painter) and I think I'll continue with the Anna Peters' series. I do want to see what predicament she'll get involved with next. (2.5 stars)"

4. The Red Mass by Rosemary Aubert (Ellis Portal #5 / 2005). An interesting Canadian legal crime series.

"The Red Mass is the 5th of 6 books in the Ellis Portal legal mystery series by Rosemary Aubert. It's been a couple of years since I last visited Ellis Portal in Toronto and it was nice to get back into this series.

Quickly, Ellis Portal was an up and coming lawyer who became an Ontario judge but had a breakdown and lost everything and ended up surviving on the streets of Toronto. The series follows him as he gets his life back on track, reconnects with family, and solves mysteries. At the start of the Red Mass, Ellis takes part in the annual Red Mass ceremony at the Law Courts. While there he meets his earliest friend Stow, a Superior Court judge who calls in a favor, asking Ellis to represent him.

Ellis doesn't want to as their lives had drifted apart with much enmity. But Stow is arrested for the death of his wife, who died in hospital five years earlier. New evidence has caused him to be charged with administering an overdose of a drug that was being trialed. Ellis agrees to represent him and discovers he will be working against his daughter, Ellen, newly appointed to the Crown Prosecutors office.

That is the crux of the story. Ellis has so many competing issues; his family, his friendship with a woman he'd lived on the streets with, who now helps the homeless, a reporter who wants to write about Ellis, and of course the case, which intrudes on his past relationships. It's a rich, fascinating story and it's nice to be involved in a criminal trial with all of its processes. The mystery is interesting, as is the investigation and Ellis is a fascinating character; with many issues with which he still deals. I also like the setting as I spent my university years in Toronto, so it's nice to reflect on that aspect. All in all an entertaining mystery. Now to try and find the final story in the series. (3.5 stars)"

5. Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918 - 1923 by Dorothy Parker (2014). This took awhile to get through, but was worth it.

"Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918–1923 by Dorothy Parker is the 4th look I've had at the work of Dorothy Parker and the first that wasn't one of her books of poetry. Parker was one of the founding members of the Algonquin Round Table. She was a poet, literary critic, and author of fiction, plays and screenplays. I have enjoyed her poetry very much, which is a lot from me because as I've mentioned ad nauseum in previous reviews of poetry, I generally don't get along with the genre.

This book features Parker's monthly reviews of the Broadway scene from 1918 - 1923. She started providing them for Vanity Fair but was fired from that position because her comments on one of Florence Ziegfeld's girlfriends. She was immediately hired by Ainslee's to continue providing her monthly look at the plays on Broadway. While I wasn't around at the time (I'm not quite that old. 😎😁😉), it's interesting to get a perspective on what plays and actors were around during this period.

The reviews start just at the end of WWI and there were many actors and producers that I never heard of before, but names crop up that pique your interest. People like PG Wodehouse and Somerset Maugham wrote plays there. American Booth Tarkington and Ring Lardner show up as playwrights and lyricists, along with the great George Cohan. Actors such as the Barrymores (royalty in a way on Broadway), Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Hayes, Billie Burke, Eddie Cantor etc. It all sounds so interesting.

And of course there is Parker, providing her thoughts on the plays and musicals, a monthly summary of what took place the previous month. She writes with humor and intelligence. It's a pleasure to read her words, the hear her thoughts. All in all, I enjoyed the book very much, it provides a historical look at the time; the end of WWI, the Spanish Flu, the actor's equity walk out, so many things. It's worth checking out if you have an interest in the early days of Broadway at the turn of the last century. Check it out. (4.0 stars)"

... and my 1st book of September

6. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #3 / 2018). Excellent series.

"The Murderbot Diaries is such an excellent Sci Fi series and also a great TV series. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells is the 3rd book in the series and keeps the action rolling and the stories getting better and better.

Murderbot is on a mission to get the information necessary to destroy the GrayCris Corp and to help Murderbot's 'friend' Dr. Mensah. M. heads off to a remote location, Milu to gather info about GrayCris illegally exporting alien artifacts. Trying to stay hidden from the humans and one robot who are leaving an orbiting space station to explore a terraforming site closer to the surface, M. gets more than he bargained. 

Two augmented humans assigned to the group as a protective escort are not who they seem to be. The terraforming station isn't as empty anyone thought. What will result is a fast-paced, action-packed effort to not only save these humans but also to gather the info as well, all the while fighting off a pack of combat bots and drones.

All in all, it's an excellent, entertaining story. Murderbot continues to grow as a character, possessing an excellent wit and nice level of sarcasm. The supporting cast is all excellent, from Don Abene, the team leader to Miko, the robot that Murderbot 'befriends' and uses as a source of info. It's an interesting relationship between Miko and his humans, a friendship that confuses Murderbot. M is still trying to rap his head around the whole concept and compare it to his relationship to Dr. Mensah. I have to say that the action sequences are some of the best I've ever read, really full on. I have the next couple of books sitting on my shelf awaiting my attention.. Woo hoo! (4.5 stars)"

Currently Reading (following my previous posts, I'll just list any books I've started since my last update)

1. The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge (Snow Queen Cycle #1 / 1980) I've had this on my book shelf for a couple of years

"The Winter colonists have ruled Tiamat for 150 years, slaughtering the gentle sea mers in trade for off-world wealth. But soon the gate to the galactic Hegemony will close, Tiamat will be isolated, and the 150-year reign of the Summer primitives will begin. Unless... Arienrhod, the ageless, corrupt Snow Queen, can commit a genocidal crime - and destroy destiny... unless Sparks Dawntreader, the Snow Queen's companion, can survive sea and city, palace and slums - and find destiny... unless Hegemony Commander Jerusha Palathion, the Snow Queen's victim, can find one ally on Tiamat - and change destiny... And unless Moon Summer, a young mystic, can break a conspiracy that spans space - and control destiny. Because Moon is the Snow Queen's lost weapon. The Snow Queen's lost rival. The Snow Queen's lost nemesis. The Snow Queen's lost soul. Moon is the Snow Queen's clone..."

2. Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore (1953).

"Hodge Backmaker lives in twentieth century New York, a city of cobblestones, gas lamps, and ten-storey skyscrapers. In his world, the Confederate South won its independence in the Civil War and North America is divided, with slavery and serfdom still facts of life in the Confederacy and New York a provincial backwater. Bring the Jubilee stands alongside Pavane as science fiction's finest explorations of alternative history."

3. The Hyde Park Murder by Eliot Roosevelt (Eleanor Roosevelt #2 / 1985).

"After being accused of a multi-million-dollar stock swindle, Alfred Doolittle Hannah dies in an apparent suicide, but First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt suspects murder."

4. The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey (Girl with Gifts #1 / 2014).

"Melanie is a very special girl. Dr. Caldwell calls her "our little genius."

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad."

5. Redhead by John Creasey (Department Z #2 / 1933).

"Martin Storm’s visit to New York seemed like it was a success. But that was until his car was machine gunned and the police had to smuggle him out of the country…

But Martin finds no safety at home, either, and the search begins to find the man who is hunting him down.

He soon discovers that he has become involved with an American underworld boss who is planning to expand his business to Britain. Will he be able to escape the gangster’s clutches, or will he become a victim in his complex game?"

New Books

1. A History of Canada in Ten Maps; Epic Stories of Charting a Mysterious Land by Adam Shoalts (2017).

"Envisioning the mysterious land that would eventually be called "Canada" through the eyes of the explorers who first set foot on these shores,  A History of Canada in Ten Maps  brings our stories to life.

    Every map tells a story, and every map has a inviting us to go somewhere we've never been. It is an account of what we know, but also a trace of what we long for. Like a story, a map is never completely objective. It records special interests and agendas. It leaves important things unsaid even as it purports to lay things out clearly and indisputably. We can know our history by our maps.

That is what  A History of Canada in Ten Maps  will do. This book chronicles not just the centuries of Canada's existence; it conjures the world as it appeared to those who were called upon to map it. What would the new world look like to Jacques Cartier, who could see no farther than the treeline? What would the north have looked like to Martin Frobisher, confronting a sea of ice but imagining that Cathay lay just beyond? What would the vastness of the country look like to a surveyor or railroad engineer (or an investor in Great Britain)? And what rival claims to the land were left off all these maps?

Historical maps may tell only part of the story, but they also tell us volumes about what we didn't know, and hint at what we may have preferred go unrecorded.  A History of Canada in Ten Maps  will tell the story of the creators of these maps, and also recount how they used the maps for their own ends. It is a book that will surprise readers, and reveal the Canada we never knew was hidden. It will bring to life the characters and the disputes that forged our history, by showing us what the world looked like before it entered the history books. 

Combining storytelling, cartography, geography, and of course history, this book will show us Canada in a way we've never seen it before."

2. Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo (Singing Hills Cycle #3 / 2022).

"Wandering cleric Chih of the Singing Hills travels to the Riverlands to record tales of the notorious near-immortal martial artists who haunt the region. On the road to Betony Docks, they fall in with a pair of young women far from home, and an older couple who are more than they seem. As Chih runs headlong into an ancient feud, they find themselves far more entangled in the history of the Riverlands than they ever expected to be.

Accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an indelible memory, Chih confronts old legends and new dangers alike as they learn that every story—beautiful, ugly, kind, or cruel—bears more than one face."

3. Orlando by Virginia Woolf (1928).

"First masculine, then feminine, Orlando begins life as a young sixteenth-century nobleman, then gallops through the centuries to end up as a woman writer in Virginia Woolf's own time. Written for the charismatic, bisexual writer Vita Sackville-West, this playful mock biography of a chameleon-like historical figure is both a wry commentary on gender and, in Woolf's own words, a 'writer's holiday' which delights in its ambiguity and capriciousness."

4. Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang (2022).

"A novel that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire.

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.

Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?"

There you go, the 9th month is now started.. 😃 Have a great month.