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.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
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.
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.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
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.
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.
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