Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Genre: Steam Punk

Setting: A Steam Punk version of Seattle.

First Sentence: Unpaved, uneven trails pretended to be roads; they tied the nation's coasts together like laces holding a boot, binding it with crossed strings and crossed fingers.

In her novel Priest has brought Steam Punk to the Pacific Northwest.  Here we have all the classic elements of this genre: a toxic poisonous fog, the ravenous undead rotters, evil geniuses, and advanced machinery powered by coal, oil, electricity, and steam.

Sixteen years ago, Briar Wilkes was a very young bride married to Dr. Lividicus Blue.  Dr. Blue was an inventor.  He was hired by the Russians to design an excavating machine capable of reaching gold buried deep under the frozen tundra of the Yukon.  Dr. Blue invented the Boneshaker.  On its initial test run, Dr. Blue's invention unleashed a poisonous chemical cloud from deep within the earth: the blight gas. 

The blight gas is lethal to most.  Those who do not die are doomed to become rotters.  Rotters are undead beings whose minds are only focused on finding living flesh to consume.

In order to contain the gas, huge walls were built to surround the areas most affected by the gas.  Incredibly, there are people who have found a way to survive within the walls.

Dr. Blue is blamed for the destruction his machine caused.  For years his wife and their son have had to live with his tarnished reputation.

Now Briar's fifteen year old son, Zeke, wants to find out the truth about his father.  So he finds a way under the wall and into the toxic, dangerous city.  When Briar discovers where Zeke has gone, she too finds her way over the wall.

Can Briar save her son from the dangers of the walled in city?

Will Zeke discover the truth about his father?

I liked this book.  Priest has a writing style that is easy to read.  I enjoyed all of the interesting characters that the author used to people her steam punk Seattle.

If you are a fan of steam punk,  I encourage you to check out this American version of the genre.

Only one complaint: the edition of the novel which I read was printed in sepia ink.  The tan letters were a strain on these sixty year old eyes.

                                                               

I Hope You Find Me by Trish Marie Dawson

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Setting: Southern California, in a dystopian world.

FYI: Some Adult Content

First Sentence:  I can't remember how long their bodies burned, but I do remember the sun setting before it was over, just beyond the still and dismal outline of Downtown San Diego.

This novel is the first in Dawson's Find Me series which currently has two books.

Riley watched her two children die from the Red Plague.  Now she has to find a safe place to live.  As she prepares to leave San Diego, she leaves notes to help her friends and family find her.

She first finds Connor, a handsome man with a secret past.

She also finds that her notes lead dangerous people to find her as well.

There are very few people left alive.  There are also some apparently dead people who seem to be alive.  Can Riley, Connor, and their friends find a safe place to restart their lives?

In this novel, the author begins an interesting series.  We are introduced to the main characters, and to some interesting mysteries.  Even though this novel has more romance than my usual reading fare, I enjoyed it.  The plot was pretty believable, and the characters seemed realistic.  And the hints at the ghost/zombies piqued my interest.

Over all it was an enjoyable visit to a dystopian world.  I liked it.

                                                        

1356 by Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: France, AD 1356

First Sentence: He was lost.

The main character of this novel is Sir Thomas of Hookton.  Fans of Cornwell's novels will recognize the name.  Thomas is the main character of Cornwell's Grail Quest series.

Once again, Thomas's life intersects with a holy relic.  This time it is the sword of St. Peter.  Legend has it that the sword is imbued with holy power.  It is said that the possessor of the sword will have victory in battle.

So the sword is sought by both church and political leaders.  Even Thomas's lord has ordered him to look for the sword.

Thomas has sworn to destroy the sword if he finds it.  Through personal experience he understands the great cost of possessing such a holy relic.

France and England are at war.  Thomas's search for the sword takes him to the English army.  At the head of the army is the Black Prince, Edward the Prince of Wales.

Thomas and his followers join with the English army.  Eventually they fight the French at the battle of Poitiers.  If you enjoy reading about medieval battles, you will enjoy the author's description of this battle.

Cornwell's story is a grand tale of the knights of old.  We have knights in shining armor, castles and sieges, a damsel in distress, a chaste knight, jousting tournaments, and the carnage of battle in the middle ages.

Cornwell's well constructed writing style transports us to those olden days.  For me it was a real page turner, and a fabulous read.

                                                                  

The Alehouse Murders by Maureen Ash

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Lincoln, England, 1200AD

First Sentence: Heat hung like a sodden blanket over Lincoln town and the surrounding countryside.

This novel is the first in Ash's Templar Knight mystery series.  This series currently runs to seven books.

Our main character, Bascot de Marins, is a Templar knight recently returned from the Holy Land.  During his years spent on crusade Bascot has experienced the horror of battle.  He was captured by the Saracens and spent years as a slave.

Now, Bascot is spending time at the castle at Lincoln recuperating in both body and soul.  With him is his young companion Gianni.  When Bascot found him, Gianni was poor malnourished orphan struggling to survive on the wharves of Palermo.  Together they form a unique family unit.

There has been a horrible murder in Lincoln.  Four persons, three men and a woman, have been found dead in an alehouse.  The lady of the castle asks Bascot to investigate.  Since Bascot is relatively new to Lincoln, she believes that he will conduct an honest and thorough investigation.

While he is making inquiries there are two more deaths - a priest and a whore monger.  Could it be that all six murders were committed by the same killer?    When Bascot feels that he has unraveled the mystery, he still needs to find a way to prove the identity of the killer.

Can Bascot find a way to solve the mystery, or will the killer go free?

Because this novel is the first in Ash's Templar knight series, there is a lot of exposition.  In Bascot de Marins, Ash has created a complete, well rounded, and interesting character.  The author does a good job of weaving Bascot's story into the plot of the novel.  In the end we have read a great mystery novel, and we have a character that we like.

I am looking forward to future visits with Bascot.

                                                              

The Princess and the Pirates by John Maddox Roberts

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: 51 BC, on the island of Cyprus.

First Sentence: Let me say at the outset that Cleopatra was not beautiful.

This is the ninth novel in Robert's SPQR series which runs to 14 novels and several short stories.

Speaking as an old man recounting the days of his youth, our main character Decius Caecilus Metellus, tells the story of how he fought pirates and met Cleopatra.

Decius is a young senator working on completing his resume so that he can have prestige and respect in the Senate.  He has just completed two successful years as an adile in Rome.  An adile is a sort of mid level government official.  Now he needs some military experience.  At the urging of his father, Decius accepts a commission to put down piracy in the East.

So he sails off to the Roman naval base at Cyprus.  When he arrives, Decius discovers that the base has been looted.  Between ambitious Roman generals and disreputable civil servants there is little equipment left to fight the pirates with.

While Decius is scrounging for supplies and manpower, he meets a very young Cleopatra.  She and her fabulous royal yacht are spending time in Cyprus avoiding the political intrigues of the Egyptian court.  She offers to add her yacht to Decius's small fleet as long as she can go along.  Decius reluctantly agrees.

Soon Decius learns that the pirates have spies and business connections on Cyprus.  When the local Roman governor gets himself murdered, Decius's job gets much more complicated.  As the ranking Roman official, he must investigate the murder.

Some how Decius must find a way to solve the crime and add to his senatorial resume.  In the end, Roman politics play a significant part in the ultimate solution to the mystery.

Although this novel is part of a series, I found that it was quite enjoyable as a stand alone novel.  The mystery plays a small part of the plot. I was completely surprised when the identity of the murderer was revealed.

I enjoyed this novel.  It was a pleasant read.

                                                         

A Plague of Poison by Maureen Ash

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: In and around the English city of Lincoln, Spring 1201 AD.

First sentence: With the celebration of Eastertide at the end of March, a warm spring radiance had descended on Lincoln.

This novel is the third in Ash's Templar Knight series.  This series currently has seven titles.

There is unrest and fear in Lincoln.  In short order, several seemingly unrelated people have been murdered by poison.

Our main character, Bascot de Marins is asked by the lady of the castle to investigate.  It seems that all of the clues point to a local potter.  Although he swears his innocence, the potter is sentenced to death.  The sentence will be carried out in a few weeks when the king's officials affirm the potter's conviction.

Bascot is a Templar knight.  He has recently returned from several horrible years in the Holy Land.  Bascot is serving at Lincoln in order to rest both body and soul.  Traveling with Bascot is his young ward Gianni.  Although he is young, and mute, Gianni is intelligent and observant.

There is something about the potter's conviction which does not seem right to Bascot.  Then Gianni makes several observations which point Bascot in the right direction.  Soon, Bascot is convinced that the potter is not guilty.  But now he needs to find the evidence needed to overturn the potter's conviction and reveal the identity of the true poisoner.

This novel was a pleasant read.  Bascot is an interesting and believable character.  The novel was an intriguing and tangled mystery.  I did not know "who done it" until the reveal at the end.

I'll be looking for more of Ash's Templar Knight novels to read.

                                      

My Review of the Amazon fireTV

Before I start the review.  This is my 200th blog post!  Take a look at the archives for my reviews of lots of books as well as a few other things.

If you are an Amazon Prime member, you should check out the Amazon fireTV streaming device.

Set up is a snap.  When the fireTV arrives, it comes preregistered to your Amazon Prime account.  Plug in the power cord, and connect your HDMI cable and you are ready to go.  The device leads you through the set up with your home network.  Then there is a nice animated tutorial.

Soon you will be searching for content.  The voice search is a nice feature.  Just say the name of an actor, or the title of a movie, and the fireTV will deliver your desired content.

All of the Amazon Prime Instant video can be viewed free, without commercials.  Also, there is plenty of quality video which can be purchased.

Through the fireTV, you can also set up a Netflix and Hulu account.  I have enjoyed all of the great TV programming I've watched through my Hulu account.

The biggest drawback for me is the music feature.  The fireTV will connect you to streaming music through Pandora and iHeartRadio.  The  fireTV will connect you to your Amazon Music library but, as of this writing, it will only play music which you own.  It will not play any of your favorite Amazon Music streaming playlists.

So, if you are into music more than videos, I'd stick with an Amazon Fire tablet.

Since the fireTV did not ship with a printed manual I downloaded a copy onto my laptop.  I found it to be very handy in answering a few FAQ type questions.

I've had the fireTV for a few weeks.  It's been fun to use and I am glad I bought it.

                                                                 

The Lost Spaceship by Vaughn Heppner

Genre: Science Fiction

Setting: In interstellar space.

First Sentence: Wearing perfectly pressed trousers and shiny boots, Captain Maddox of Star Watch Intelligence flexed his bare chest.

It is sometime in the future.  Mankind has spread to countless planets.  From somewhere in uncharted space comes a race of superior super-humans: the New Men.  They have infiltrated humanity.  They have advanced military firepower. Soon the New Men will attack and destroy human civilization.

Humanity's only chance is to find and use weapons which can out gun the invaders.  There is a legend that somewhere, deep in space, is an abandoned battle ship which possesses the advanced weapons humanity needs.  Our main character, Captain Maddox has been given the task to find the legendary space vessel. 

Maddox gathers a rag-tag team of specialists to search for the lost ship.  In the tradition of the A Team and the Dirty Dozen,  Maddox sets out to find a group of flawed specialists who will follow him into danger.  In his team we find a leader with a dangerous secret, a navigator accused of cowardice, an alcoholic pilot, a grizzled veteran sergeant, a convicted criminal computer genius, and a cave woman assassin.

The plot blasts off with lots of action.  Once the team is assembled, and they are trying to elude the New Men, the plot slows down.  In the end it just fizzles out.

I think the author intended this novel to be the first of a series.  But, in my opinion, he didn't give us a reason to care about the rest of the story.

                                                          

Cruel as the Grave by Sharon Kay Penman

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: England, 1193 AD

First Sentence: They were intimate enemies, bound by blood.

This book is the second in Penman's Queen's Man series.

Our main character is Justin de Quincy.  The queen he serves is Eleanor of Aquitaine.  Justin has done well for himself.  He was raised as a foundling not knowing who his parents were.  Now he serves in the court of the queen.  She calls him to perform certain dangerous duties.

In this book we have two parallel plots.  The queen's favored son, Richard the Lionheart, is imprisoned.  It is possible that he may already be dead.  The queen's less favored son, John, wants to be king.  Justin is asked by the queen to undertake a dangerous mission which night avoid a bloody civil war.

In London, Justin is asked to investigate the death of a young woman.  A mercer's sons are involved in the murder.  The mercer's favored son had been seeing the girl.  But the mercer's less favored son is accused of the crime.  Justin must discover the true identity of the murderer.  If he fails, the wrong man may go to the gallows.

Will Justin succeed in aiding the Queen to avoid a war between her sons?

Will Justin find justice for the victim and her family?

I found this book to be a very pleasurable read.  Although I had figured out "who dun it" pretty early in the story, the author piqued my interest by trying to lead me astray.  In the end, the author tied up all the lose ends in a favorable conclusion.  I liked this book.

                                                           

The Moonlight Palace by Liz Rosenberg

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction

Setting: Singapore in the early twentieth century.

First Sentence: I have always lived in the crumbling Kampong Glam Palace.

This novel is the story of an old house and the family that lived in it.

The old house is the Kampong Palace.  The palace was given to the Sultan Hussein by the East India company many years ago.  His family can live in the palace as long as a male decedent of the Sultan dwells there.

The family is the "draggle tailed extended family" of the narrator, Agnes.  Agnes is the last decedent of the Sultan.  Her elderly uncle is the last male decedent.

Now, the family has fallen on hard times.  Unable to to afford to keep up the palace, they have to take in boarders.

Living in the palace with Agnes are her grandparents Nei Nei Up, Nei Nei Down, and British Grandfather, Uncle Chachi, and two servants.

The events of Agnes's story take place during her seventeenth year.  We learn about her and each member of the family.  We experience the happy times, and the sad times.  And always at the back of everyone's mind is the thought that someday soon the family will lose the palace.  And that is the main conflict of the story. Will they lose the palace, and what will happen to the family if they do?

The author has crafted a very enjoyable story.  For me, it was a very pleasant read.  Agnes is a delightful character.  And her family is very unique and interesting.  Reading this book was great fun.



                                                                    

The Constantine Affliction by T. Aaron Payton

Genre: Steampunk

Setting: London, 1864

First sentence: He called himself Adam, and all he wanted was love.

From the creative mind of the author we are transported to a unique version of steampunk London.  Queen Victoria is on the throne.  Throughout London are the many technological marvels created by harnessing steam, magnetism, electricity, and alchemy.

And, there is the Constantine Affliction.

A strange plague has swept through London.  The Constantine Affliction is spread by those who are not careful with their intimate relations.  Many of those stricken die.  Those who survive suffer the horrible embarrassment of having their bodies change genders.

How did the Constantine Affliction arise?

Is it a product of the natural evolution of microbes?

Or is it a genetically altered germ created by a mad genius?

To be sure, there are scientists who are capable of engineering such a disease.

Lord Pembroke Halliday, known as Pimm by his friends, dabbles in criminology.  He is known to be successful in aiding Scotland Yard in their investigations.  When several prostitutes are murdered, Pimm is asked to discretely investigate the crimes.

During his investigations, Pimm meets Ellie Skyler.  Ellie is a female reporter for a London paper.  Ellie is a progressive woman who doesn't let her gender get in the way of her career.

Pimm and Ellie, along with Pimm's "wife" Winifred, join forces to solve the mystery.  Will they discover the identity of the murderer, and the source of the Affliction?  

I really enjoyed reading this book.  Payton transported me to a fantastic version of steampunk England.  His great voice made this novel great fun to read.  For me, it was a real page turner.

I look forward to reading the next book of the series.


                                                   

Tears of the Dead: The Chronicles of Fu Xi, Book 2 by Brian L Braden

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: During a fantasy retelling of the Great Flood.

First Sentence: Head held high, chest puffed with pride, the Lion of Hur-ar marched to glory.

This novel is the second in Braden's fantasy series.

In the Bible, God employs a flood of forty days and forty nights to cleanse the world of evil.  In this novel, Braden uses a flood of equal duration.  In the author's flood innocent people die, evil people survive, and exactly which god caused the flood is an open question.

To tell his tale, Braden uses a large cast of characters.  We have the Lo, a group of poor fisher folk who struggle against the waters for their very survival.  Then there is Fu Xi, an immortal demigod and the son of a goddess.  He too must find a way to survive the cataclysm which may destroy the Earth itself.  We also have Leviathan, a son of the god Poseidon.  He has plans to conquer the lands which belong to Fu Xi and his mother.  Then there is Quexil,  a minion of Leviathan and the leader of the Olmecs.  Even Noah and his ark make a brief appearance.

The author weaves his somewhat confusing tale back and forth between several very different main plots: 

The Lo are lost at sea in reed rafts which are slowly rotting away.  Of course there is the usual problems of a group of people forced to live in close quarters.

Occasionally, Fu Xi relates the experiences he had with Leviathan and Quexil in the past.

We also follow Fu Xi's struggles in the present.  He has to survive the flood, and find a mysterious woman.

Additionally, a minor character will pop up to drop an ominous hint.

And, since there will be a third book in this series, not much gets resolved.

For me, this was a long, rambling read.  I found it difficult to keep track of the characters.  Especially all of the different Lo characters with their uniquely spelled names.

I did enjoy the story of the Lo, but I don't understand what Fu Xi has to do with them. 

In my opinion, not the best novel I've ever read, but then again, not the worst.

If this novel piques your interest, I strongly suggest that you start with the first book in the series.

                                                         

Into the Black: Odyssey One by Evan Currie

Genre: Science Fiction, Military Science Fiction

Setting: In space, in the future.

First sentence:  As his fighter broke clear of the atmosphere, Eric Weston reached forward and flipped a series of switches to disengage the Scramjet intake and engage the pressurized oxygen flow to the twin engines.

This novel is the first in Currie's Odyssey One series.  The series currently has four novels.

I must say that I was a little confused when I started reading this novel.  There was a lot of exposition covering events which happened prior to the beginning of this novel.  I felt like I had missed  an entire novel of this series.  I did a little research, and came up empty.  Hopefully, Currie will get around to writing the story of the Archangels and their experiences in World War III.

None of that takes away from this novel.  This is an action packed military sci-fi novel.  There are grand space battles featuring large star ships and small space fighters.  And, there is an unfeeling, ruthless, insect like enemy.

The Odyssey is Earth's first interstellar space craft.  On its first foray into the galaxy, the Odyssey discovers a civilization of "alien humans" genetically identical to humans on Earth.  The Colonials are more advanced than Earth in some technological areas, and behind Earth in others.  They are peaceful, and have not experienced was for thousands of years.

The enemy, the Drasin, have reemerged after thousands of years.  Their goal seems to be capturing and devouring entire planets.

The appearance of the Odyssey and its crew upsets the plans of the Drasin.  The crew of the Odyssey cannot stand idly by and watch the Colonials' home world be destroyed.

The ensuing battle is a thrilling match of technology and strategy.  The author envisions a great space battle in which the speed of light is a critical factor.

In the end we are left to wonder, what is the ultimate goal of the Drasin?

I enjoyed this book.  If you like military sci-fi, you will probably enjoy this book too,  There's lots of military jargon and acronyms.  There's descriptions of technological hardware.  And plenty of futuristic weaponry.

                                                                 

With the Old Breed by E. B. Sledge

Genre: Nonfiction, History, Military History

Setting:  In battle on the islands of Peleliu and Okinawa during World War II.

First Sentence:  I enlisted in the Marine Corps on 3 December 1942 at Marion, Alabama.

This memoir served as source material for the HBO miniseries The Pacific.

This book is unique among war memoirs.  E. B. Sledge gives us an unvarnished description of life and death for the front line marines.  The battles for Peleliu and Okinawa are remembered as two of the most savage battles during the Pacific campaign.  The fact that the Japanese soldiers preferred death to surrender made these battles especially gruesome and barbaric.

Sledge describes for us the horrors of the battle field.  The Marines endured extremely harsh conditions.  From the heat and coral dust of Peleliu to the rain and muck of Okinawa, the marines faced death from the climate as well as the Japanese soldiers.

The Marines were ordered to attack against a well fortified enemy.  They were driven to exhaustion carrying ammo and supplies to places mechanized vehicles could not go.  And they lived for weeks amongst rotting corpses, squirming maggots, and human excrement.

The experience of war for the front line soldier is very different than our sanitized movie version.  "Sledgehammer" shows us what battle is really like.  In the end, for Sledge, there was no glorious victory. There was only the knowledge that he was one of the lucky ones.

I liked this book.  If you are a military history buff, I believe you would like it too.  The descriptions of the battle field were gruesome, but not graphic.


         
                                                           
 

Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie

Genre: Nonfiction, Military History

Setting: During World War II, in Boot Camp at Parris Island, and on various islands in the Pacific theater of the war.

First Sentence. A cutting wind slanted up Church Street in the cheerless dawn of January 5, 1942.

This memoir of the Marines during the Pacific campaign was used as source material for the HBO miniseries The Pacific.

War looks different depending upon your point of view.  For the folks back home the sanitized version of the war was all about glory and heroism.  For the generals and admirals, the war was strategy, tactics, battles, and casualty reports.  But for the Marines on the front lines the war was mud and blood and rain and just staying alive.

In his memoir, Robert Leckie shows us what being a front line Marine was like during World War II.

At Parris Island, the tough Old Breed of veteran noncoms tried to prepare Leckie and his buddies for the hardships of war.

At Guadalcanal, the Marines faced a fearsome foe.  The Japanese soldiers were experienced and well trained.  They fought hard and would never surrender.

At New Britain, the jungle and the rain became the enemy.  The jungle was filled with noxious plants, poisonous insects, and trees called widow-makers.  The rain was never ending.  It destroyed equipment and rotted the clothes off of the Marines' bodies.

At Peleliu, the Marines payed a horrific price in sweat and blood for a small desolate lump of coral.

Through it all, the Marines fought hard.  In the time between the battles, during the unending days and weeks of ennui, the Marines blew off steam.  They went AWOL.  They got drunk.  They got in fights. And some spent time in the brig.  Sometimes, they stole some of the officers supplies.  (Leckie and his buddies had little respect for the officers.)  For what punishment could be worse than the realities of every day life for the Marines on the front lines.

In the end, we, like Leckie, are left to ponder the value of the loss of so many lives.

I truly enjoyed this book.  It was written an an easy to read style.  For me, it was a page turner.  The pages flew by and it was like Bob Leckie was there with me telling war stories.

In my opinion this was a great read.

                                                               

Hard Duty by Mark E. Cooper

Genre: Science Fiction

Setting: In the future, on interplanetary space vehicles, and on alien planets.

First Sentence: Captain to the bridge!

This novel is the first in Cooper's Merkiaari Wars series.

Humanity's first contact with an alien civilization, the Merkiaari, did not go well.  In the ensuing war, many planets were destroyed along with countless human lives.

So now, when the alliance's explorers discover another sentient species, the new species is watched very carefully.

The explorers discover that the Shan are an interesting and relatively peaceful people.  Unfortunately, they too have been attacked by the hated Merkiaari.  The humans and the Shan take some time learning to trust each other.

Then the unthinkable happens.  The Merkiaari attack again.  Will the humans and the Shan survive this onslaught by the murderous Merkiaari?

When I began reading this book, I was somewhat confused.  The author jumped around between characters and plot lines which seemed unrelated to each other.  Then I discovered that this book is a prequel to the rest of the series.  While this novel is interesting and well written, it would probably be better understood after reading some of the other books in the series.

Interesting characters and an easy to read style made this novel and enjoyable read.

I liked it.

                                            

Eight For Eternity by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting:  Constantinople, in January 532 AD

First Sentence:  The condemned man narrowed his eyes against the January sun, a brilliant translucent disk suspended in the early morning mist.

This novel is the eighth in Reed and Mayer's John the Lord Chamberlain mystery series.  This series currently extends to ten novels.

This novel was a very confusing read for me.  The action in this novel occurs before the beginning of the series.  There was no warning of this.  I was expecting the novel to pick up after the seventh novel.  So, I was very confused for the first few chapters.  A little warning in the prolog or the dust jacket blurb would have been appreciated.

In January of 532 AD in Constantinople there was an uprising.  Mobs of people were rioting.  Many wanted to depose the Emperor Justinian.

Amid the chaos, John (who is not the Lord chamberlain, but an assistant chamberlain) is tasked by the emperor to solve the murder of two men.  John spends most of the novel wandering around Constantinople trying to discover who committed the murder.  Compared to the number of deaths caused by the riot, the deaths of two men doesn't seem that important.  However, John begins to feel that the murders, and the uprising are somehow connected.

Will John unravel the mystery?

In my opinion, this novel is not the best of the series.  For me, it was a difficult read.

                                              

Seven for a Secret by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Constantinople, during the reign of the Emperor Justinian in the mid sixth century.

First Sentence: For once, the girl in the wall mosaic did not reply to the Lord Chamberlain's question.

This novel is the seventh in Reed and Mayer's John the Lord Chamberlain Mystery Series.

Unlike most high ranking government officials, John lives a relatively austere life.  He lives  with his lady and one servant.  His modest home once belonged to a tax collector.  On the wall of the study the tax collector had commissioned a beautiful mosaic.

Depicted in the mosaic is a young girl, the daughter of the tax collector.  John calls her Zoe.  When he has a difficult problem to solve, John talks to the enigmatic girl in the mosaic.

Then one day, a woman reveals that she is Zoe, the tax collector's daughter.  But before John has a chance to talk more with her, he finds her murdered body.

So, John begins investigating her death.  He soon learns that intrigue and rumor run rampant through out the palace.  Parts of his life, which he thought were personal, are widely known by many.

Soon John's investigations lead him to plots which endanger him, his family, and the empire itself.

What will John discover as he tries to find justice for Zoe?

The setting of Constantinople in the waning days of the Roman Empire makes this series a unique read.  John's position as one of the most powerful people in the empire definitely aids his investigations.  In my opinion, John is a great character who uses his power wisely in the pursuit of justice.

I enjoyed this novel.  It is a great addition to a unique and interesting series.  I'll be reading the next book in the series soon.

                    

Bloody Lessons by M. Louisa Locke

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: San Francisco, California in the year 1880.

First Sentence: Laura Dawson surveyed the row of long division problems she had written on the black board.

This novel is the third installment in Locke's Victorian San Francisco Mystery series.  Along with the three novels there are four short stories featuring  some of the minor characters in the series.

In this novel we have a group of friends attempting to unravel clues to determine the cause of someone's death.  But, this novel has another mystery: Why is this group of friends so unwilling to share their thoughts and feelings with each other?  When one of them discovers an important clue, or piece of evidence, their first reaction is to keep it to themselves.  As the characters discuss the facts they do share, they often come to obviously (to the reader) incorrect conclusions.  Because of this, the novel becomes, in my opinion, a frustrating read.

In this installment of the series, we have a group of teachers who have received libelous letters.  Some one wants to destroy their reputations. When one of the teachers suffers a fatal fall our main character, Annie Fuller, begins to investigate. Along with managing her boarding house and the investigation, Annie must also manage her feelings for her beau Nate.

Will Annie discover the author of the threatening letters?

Will she discover the true cause of the teacher's death?

And, will Annie finally be true to herself and express her true feelings toward Nate?

I enjoy reading about Locke's interesting cast of characters.  Through them we get a peek into the lives of San Franciscans in the late nineteenth century.  I look forward to the next novel in the series.

                     

A Matter of Honor by William C. Hammond

Genre: Nautical Fiction, Historical Fiction

Setting: At sea, in England and France during the American Revolution.

First Sentence: Richard Cutler drew aside the flaps of the oilskin cloak draped around his shoulders and stared down in disbelief at his watch.

This novel is the first in the five novel Cutler Family Chronicles.

It is the great age of sail.  The last few years of the of the eighteenth century have been glamorized in literature as the time of the great fictional naval captains: Hornblower, Ramage, and Bolitho among many others.  Now we can add an American hero to the list.

Richard Cutler is the son of an American merchant.  Richard learns about the sea serving aboard his father's ships.  When the revolution begins, he signs on as a midshipman aboard one of the few U. S. Navy vessels.  It so happens that the ship is captained by the famous American naval captain John Paul Jones.

Cutler is eager to fight the British.  While he believes in the cause of independence, he also wants revenge for the death of his older brother who was killed at the hands of the British.

As the story develops, Cutler is involved in several exciting battles.  He experiences love with two very different women.  And he meets some of the greatest luminaries of the American revolution.

Hammond tells his tale with a unique writing style.  The story narrative will leap over an important piece of information.  Later, Hammond will flash back to reveal the hidden detail.  I found that this writing style kept me engaged with the story.

I am a fan of nautical fiction set during the Napoleonic Wars.  I feel that this novel compares well with the other novels in this genre.  The battle scenes were realistic and exciting.  And life aboard a Navy vessel was portrayed accurately.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  If you are a fan of Hornblower, Ramage and Bolitho you'll like this series.

                             

Supervolcano: Things Fall Apart by Harry Turtledove

Genre: Fiction

Setting: A few years into the future,  after the eruption of the Yellowstone volcanic caldera.

First Sentence: The windup alarm clock on Colin Ferguson's nightstand ticked like a bomb.

This novel is the third in Turtledove's Supervolcano series.  The books in this series are a departure from Turtledove's usual novels.

In this novel Turtledove tells the story of the Ferguson family: their lives, their loves, and how they deal with the results of the supervolcano eruption.

The eruption has completely changed the climate of the earth.  It is colder.  The economy is shattered.  Food is harder to come by.  And technology is slowly falling apart due to age and overuse.

I don't consider this novel to be dystopian. Apart from the bad weather life is pretty much like life today.  Bad things happen.  Good things happen.  Each character adapts and moves on.

Some of the plot lines in this novel are continued from previous books in the series.  I suggest reading the books in order.

The novels are written in a breezy style with lots of word play and pop references.  Probably a fun beach read.  But not Turtledove's best.

                                   

Rising Sun by Robert Conroy

Genre: Alternate History, Military Fiction

Setting: The Pacific Theater during an alternate version of World War II.

FYI: Some adult content.

First Sentence: Lieutenant Tim Dane, USNR, couldn't sleep.

After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the U. S. Navy was reeling.  Although many of battle ships had been damaged or destroyed, the Navy still had its aircraft carriers.  Six months after Pearl Harbor the Navy dealt the Japanese Navy a stunning blow.  In its first naval defeat since 1863, Japan lost four of its carriers at the Battle of Midway.

Japan did not have the manpower or resources to fight a war of attrition with the United States.  The inevitable result of the battle ultimately was the defeat of Japan.

What if the U. S. Navy had lost the Battle of Midway?

This is the point of departure for Conroy's novel.  In this alternate scenario, the U. S. Navy suffers a massive defeat.  The American naval forces retreat to California.  There they brace for the inevitable bombardment, and possible invasion.

Through the experiences of a cast of characters, Conroy shows us how the battle for the Pacific might have been fought.  From invasion in Alaska, to air raids  in California, Conroy describes exciting and realistic battles on land, in the air, and at sea.

Eventually, the cultural differences between Japan and America determine the ultimate victor in this alternate version of the war in the Pacific.

I really enjoyed this novel.  For me it was a real page turner.  The author moved the plot along with plenty of action and the right amount of description.  In the end, it was a very enjoyable read.

I am a big fan of Conroy's alternate history novels.  Each of them are stand alone tales.  And all of them are enjoyable reads.

                            

The Given Sacrifice by S. M. Stirling

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: In an alternate version of the early twenty-first century, years after and event which rendered modern technology useless.

First Sentence: I am so fucked, Pilot Officer Alyssa Larsson thought, as the glider hit a pocket of cold air, shocking and utterly unexpected.

This novel is the thirteenth novel in S. M. Stirling's Novels of the Change series.

In the previous nine novels in this series, we follow Rudi Mackenzie as he and a small group travel across North America.  Along the way Rudi gains allies for his cause, obtains the magical Sword of the Lady, and comes to understand how incredibly evil the Prophet of the Cutters is.  When the quest returns home, Rudi sets about forming a coalition of allies to battle the Cutters.

Like many fantasy tales, this series is an epic battle between good and evil.  The arc of the plot seemed to point to this novel as the conclusion of the struggle.  I expected to read about a grand battle.  And, as the title warned, a character (probably Rudi) would give his life to save humanity.

Instead, there was a straight forward battle in which the evil prophet was killed too easily.  Followed by almost a hundred pages of happily ever after.

In the end, with plenty of foreshadowing, Stirling redeems the series and gives the good guys some evil to fight in future novels.

Like most of Stirling's books, this novel is heavy on description.  Although, there was some excitement at the beginning.  The novel soon bogged down into tedious details.  For me, the last half of the book was a long slow read.  More than once, I was tempted to put the book down.  In my opinion, the plot twist at the end was too little, too late.

I'm not sure I'll read any more novels in this series.

                                                                 

The Amorous Nightingale by Edward Marston

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: London, in the time following the Great London Fire of 1666.

First Sentence: Christopher Redmayne found conversations with his elder brother rather trying at times.

This novel is the second in Marston's Restoration series.

Mrs. Harriet Gow is the darling of the London theater scene.  She is a suburb actress with a beautiful singing voice.  Because of her beauty and talent she is besieged by multitudes of male admirers.  Most of which can only adore her from afar.  Some, however, have a more intimate relationship with her.

Christopher Redmayne is a young architect.  He is struggling to make a name for himself in London.  While he is occupied building a home for a wealthy admirer of Mrs. Gow, he receives a summons to visit the King.  Christopher must also bring Constable Bale with him.  Due to the success of past services,  the King feels that he can count on Redmayne and Bale for help with sensitive matters.

It seems that Mrs. Gow has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom.  The King wishes his relationship with Mrs. Gow to be kept secret for two reasons: first, the fact that Mrs. Gow is married would cause a scandal, and secondly he doesn't have enough ready cash to pay the ransom.

So, Christopher and constable Bale must investigate without revealing the King's interest in the case. 

Will Christopher and Bale find Mrs. Gow before the kidnappers act on their threat to kill her if the ransom isn't paid?

Edward Marston is one of my favorite authors.  I enjoy his easy-to-read style of writing.  In this novel I was baffled until the reveal.

For me, this was an enjoyable novel that was fun to read.

                                                             

Sharpe's Havoc by Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction

Setting: Portugal, Spring 1809

First Sentence: Miss Savage was missing.

In chronological order, this novel is the seventh in Cornwell's Sharpe series.

Richard Sharpe entered the British Army as a regular soldier.  When he saved the life of Sir Arthur Wellesley he was given a commission as a lieutenant.  In the British army of the nineteenth century commissions were usually purchased by wealthy families for their sons.  Very few soldiers every made the jump from soldier to officer.  Those who did were usually looked down upon by the other officers, and treated with disrespect by the soldiers under their command.  So Sharpe has had to continuously fight for the respect he deserves.

In this novel, Sharpe and his men are in Oporto, Portugal fighting the French.  Sharpe has been ordered to find Kate Savage, the daughter of a rich wine maker.  Operating behind enemy lines, must first battle their way out of Oporto as the French forces move in.  Then, they need to find their way to the small village where Kate is believed to be.  As they travel across country they need to avoid the French.

When they find Kate they discover that she has eloped to marry a British officer.  The officer orders Sharpe to defend the village from the French.  While protecting Kate, Sharpe learns some distressing facts about Kate's husband.

Eventually Sharpe's squad has to fight their way back to Oporto where they meet up with the British army.  In the end, an intelligence officer orders Sharpe to provide a final solution to the problems Kate's husband has been causing.

This novel is an action packed military adventure story.  Cornwell's descriptions of the battles are exciting and realistic.  For me, this novel was a well written page turner that was hard to put down.

                                                                 

Britannia's Wolf by Antoine Vanner

Genre: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction

Setting: The Ottoman Empire and the Black Sea during the Russian-Turkish War, 1877-1878.

First Sentence:  Dawlish raised his head above the lip of the hollow that sheltered his small group of freezing, famished, exhausted men and saw the frozen clods of mud flying from the hooves of the horses thundering towards him, steaming breath pulsing from dilated nostrils, wicked lance points reaching before each wild right eye.

This novel is the first in Vanner's Dawlish Chronicles series.  Like some historical novel series, we are introduced to the main character, not at the beginning of his career, but at a pivotal point in his life.  Throughout this novel, the author leaves us clues about Dawlish's previous adventures.

Nicholas Dawlish has spent much of his life as an officer in the British Navy.  Since he was not born into privilege, he has reached a point in his career when his prospects for advancement are few.

Now, Dawlish  has left the British Navy and taken a commission in the Ottoman Empire's navy.  The position pays twice his British Navy pay.  Additionally, this commission will allow him to command a warship in battle.  If he does well it may improve his chances for advancement if he should return to Britain.

The Ottoman Empire is at war with Russia.  The Tsar wants to become a naval power in the Mediterranean Sea.  Dawlish needs to use the meager Ottoman fleet to keep the Russians bottled up in the Black Sea.  And he needs to disrupt the shipping that brings needed supplied to the advancing Russian Army.

Unfortunately, the Ottoman Empire is rife with religious and political intrigue.  Although Dawlish has developed his navy into a dedicated group of sailors who would follow him into hell, he slowly realizes that his superiors are not to be trusted.

In the end, Dawlish and his sailors are fighting skirmishes on land as the Russian Army advances on Istanbul.  If he and his men can delay the advancing Russians, the British Navy might take an interest and step in to stop the Russian onslaught.

And in the middle of the fighting, Dawlish needs to save Florence Morton, his love interest.

For me, I found the beginning of the novel slow going.  The author uses a lot of Turkish words: place names, character names, military ranks, ship names, and some basic vocabulary.  While this adds authenticity to the story, I found the plot a little hard to follow at first.

I liked Nicholas Dawlish.  He is a realistic character who makes mistakes and has flaws.

I liked the battle scenes.  They were exciting and well written. 

For me, this novel was a good military fiction novel.
       

                                                      

The Lions of the North by Edward Marston

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: England, in the years after the conquest by King William.

First Sentence: The two men were courting danger.

This novel is the fourth in Marston's Domesday Book series.

In the years after the conquest, King William of Normandy had his clerks compile a listing of all the properties in England and their rightful owners.  This listing was called the Domesday Book.

In Marston's novel, we follow a group of the King's commissioners as they travel the country settling irregularities in the Domesday documents.  Obviously, their arrival is often not met with joy.  In each town, there are those who those who control lands that they do not have legal title for.  Some resort to murder in order to keep their ill-gotten property.

This installment of the series takes our intrepid commissioners to York.  The owner of the castle at York keeps two lions as pets.  Prior to the commissioners' arrival, an unidentified young man had been mauled to death by the lions.

Soon after the commissioners begin their work, one of the commissioners is killed.  As the commissioners investigate they learn that the two deaths, a particularly difficult property case, and an outlaw named Olaf Evil Child are somehow related.

Will the lions of the North find another victim before the killer is discovered?

This novel is another example of why I like Marston's novels.  Each has a twisty plot, plenty of action, and witty dialog.  For me, this book was a very enjoyable read.

Each of Marston's books is a stand alone novel.  However, there are some plot lines which carry over from book to book.

                           The first book in the series: 

Destroyermen: Deadly Shores by Taylor Anderson

Genre: Alternate History

Setting: An alternate version of Earth during the World War II era, the action takes place mainly in the Indian and South Pacific oceans.

First Sentence:  Ten days after the great battle that drove General Hisashi Kurosawa and the tattered remnants of his once-mighty fleet from Madras, only two of his little squadron of Grik-built cruisers, Nachi and Tatsuma, remained to steam into the port of Cochin.

This novel is the ninth in Anderson's Destroyermen alternate history series.

During a fierce sea battle, the USS Walker steamed into a strange storm cloud, and emerged into an Earth very different than the one she had left.  Soon the destroyer and her crew were embroiled in a war between the peaceful sentient mammals called Lemurians, and the vicious reptilian creatures called the Grik.

As the Destroyermen novels have progressed, we have learned that throughout history different groups of humans have some how been transported to this alternate Earth.  There have been 15th century Spanish missionaries, 18th century English explorers as well as World War I Germans and a World War II Japanese battleship.

In this installment of the series, the author reveals that some of the humans have arrived from different versions of Earth, with different time lines.

As the novel begins, the Allied forces of Lemurians and humans are now strong enough to take the fight to the homelands of their two main enemies.  To the East is the Holy Dominion.  The Dominion is a culture formed from the blend of the Spanish Inquisition with the ancient Aztec religions.  To the West is the Empire of the Griks.  The Griks are the mortal enemies of the Lemurians.  Until the Destroyermen arrived, the Lemurians had no chance of defeating the Grik.

Captain Reddy, the commander of the Walker, has proposed a raid on the Grik capital reminiscent of General Doolittle's raid on Tokyo during World War II.  Although he views the plan as a raid, the Lemurians perceive the raid as a chance to regain their ancient ancestral home.

Will the Allied forces be victorious in their attacks?

As they explore this alternate Earth, what other groups of humans will they encounter?

In my opinion, this novel is a satisfying return to the Destroyerman universe.  This is the offensive battle that we have been waiting for.  The grand battle scene is exciting with lots of action.  And once again Anderson's great character, Silva, goes off on a heroic expedition.

I enjoyed this book. And since the author dropped many tantalizing hints for the surprises in upcoming installments, I eagerly await the next novel.

If you are interested in reading the Destroyermen series, I strongly suggest that you read them in order.


                                                              

The King's Evil by Edward Marston

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: London, 1666, after the Great Fire of London.

First Sentence: The month of September had scarcely begun when a new disaster struck an already beleaguered city.

This novel is the first in Marston's Christopher Redmayne mystery series.

In my opinion, in the first novel of a series an author has two important tasks.  Primarily, the author must introduce interesting characters that the reader will like, and like following.  And then, the author must engage us with an interesting plot.  In this novel the author succeeds with both tasks.

The characters:

Christopher Redmayne is a young architect, and a perfect English gentleman.

Henry Redmayne, his brother is a rake more interested in pleasure than work.

Jonathan Bale is a London constable.  He is a Puritan, and he is unhappy with the restoration of the British monarchy.

Penelope Northcott is the daughter of the murder victim.  She promises to be Christopher's love interest in future installments of the series.

The plot:

Sir Ambrose Northcott has engaged Christopher to design and build a house in London.  When his lifeless form is found in the cellar of the unfinished house, Christopher feels responsible.  Christopher decides to discover the identity of the culprit.  His investigation uncovers a tangled plot which may even threaten the King himself.

Edward Marston is the pseudonym of Keith Miles.  Early in his career Miles was a script writer for television and radio.  I believe this experience is what makes Marston's novels such fun to read.  And what I enjoy the most is the fantastic dialogue between the characters.

This was a great read, a page turner, and over too quickly.  Another Marston novel is already on my to read list.


                                                                

Peace Warrior by Steven L. Hawk

Genre: Science Fiction

Setting: Earth, some time in the future.

First Sentence: Death was not lonely.

This novel is the first in Steven Hawk's Peace Warrior trilogy.

For years, Earth had been wracked by wars.  Then there came a time when humanity gave up war and violence.  People lived in peace and harmony.  Anyone who acted or spoke in a violent manner was sent to prison for life.

When the cruel and war-like aliens known as the Minith arrived Earth had no defense and was quickly subjugated.

Earth needed a warrior who could lead humanity's revolt against the Minith. 

600 years before the arrival of the Minith, Earth was at war.  Sergeant Justice was one of the best soldiers on the planet.  As luck would have it, Sgt. Justice died in a manner that enabled future scientists to resurrect and reanimate him.

In Sgt. Justice, Earth now had a warrior to lead the revolt.  Now they need an army.  What better place to find violent fighters than the prison for violent offenders?

Now it's up to Justice and his rag-tag army to rebel against the Minith and regain Earth's independence.

This novel is a good human vs. alien sci-fi story.  The aliens are cruel.  The humans are the victims of their violence.  And humanity learns that sometimes you need to use violence to protect your independence.

I enjoyed this easy, fun read.


               

Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic

Genre: Science Fiction

Setting: In an alternate version of San Francisco and the bay area.

First Sentence: The DIM official had just asked, "Reason for crossing to San Francisco B, citizen - business, family visit, or pleasure?"

Thirty-five years ago something happened which caused the universe to split into two parallel universes.  The scientist involved in the split learned how to remain in contact with the alternate universe.  Eventually travel between the two universes become possible. 

Everyone alive on the day of the split had an alternate version of themselves in the other universe.

As the years went by, each universe became very different places.  And the people in one universe often lead vastly different lives than their alternates.

The governments created a strict set of rules which governed travel and the flow of information between the two universes.

Felix Sayers of universe A has recently learned that he was born before the universes split.  He has decided to travel to universe B to learn what he can about his alternate, Felix B.

When Felix A arrives in universe B he discovers a group of researchers who are studying the events leading up to the split.  To his dismay, he learns that the researchers believe that something Felix did when he was six months old started the causality chain which triggered the creation of the alternate universe.

As Felix A and his friends investigate, the author shows us an alternate version of San Francisco and the bay area.  Along the way we learn how small events can lead to huge effects.

Along with the science fiction story, the author treats us to an homage to Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, two well known mystery writers.

Will Felix A and his friends discover the prime event which caused the universes to split?

This is a quirky sci fi novel.  Not so much action, but lots of philosophical discussion about causes, effects, and causality chains.

In my opinion, a good first novel.  I liked it.


                                                                  

The King of Macau by Jake Needham

Genre: Thriller

Setting: Present day Macau and Hong Kong.

First sentence: No, it can't begin that way.

This novel is the fourth in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd series.

Jake is a lawyer who specializes in solving legal and financial problems that no one else wants to touch.  In this novel, Jack has two problems to solve. 

To begin with, the chief of security at a Macau casino has asked Jack to investigate a cash flow problem at the casino.  It seems that there has been an unusual amount of cash coming into the casino.  It's possible that the local gangs in Macau have been laundering money through the casino.  For years, many have believed that the owner of the casino has been cooperating with the gangs.

At first, Jack is reluctant to take the case.  But when the casino owner's beautiful and extremely wealthy daughter asks for his help, Jack decides to get involved.  The casino owner is very elderly and the daughter wants to solve the case in a way that clears her father of any connection to the gangs.

In addition, Jack has been asked to do a favor for an acquaintance.  The acquaintance has a mysterious friend named Freddy who would like to get political asylum in Hawaii.  Although Jack usually does not handle asylum cases, he promises his friend that he'll see what he can do.

As Jack begins investigating both cases, things become a little more interesting when people start sending bullets in his direction.  Apparently, Jack's activities have attracted someone's attention.

Will Jack discover the source of the cash flow spike at the casino?

Will Freddy get his asylum in Hawaii?

And, what about the casino owner's beautiful daughter?

I am a big fan of Jake Needham and I really enjoyed this book.  Jack is a unique hero.  He uses information and investigation, rather than firearms and violence to solve his cases.  Don't look for a fairy tale happy ending.  Needham ends this book in a realistic, believable, and unexpected way.

Another great read from Jake Needham.