Strivers Row by Kevin Baker

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: Harlem, 1943

First Sentence: Harlem waits.

In this novel, Kevin Baker completes his City of Fire trilogy.  In this series Bakers tells the history of New York City from the Civil War Era, through the turn of the twentieth century, to the 1940's.  In each novel, Baker portrays what day to day life was like for the poor, the immigrants, the petty criminals, the drug users, and the corrupt politicians.

During the roaring twenties, the Harlem Renaissance made Harlem the center of black culture.  During the Depression, underneath the facade of gentility and upward mobility, the reality of segregation and discrimination exposed the reality of life in Harlem.  During the Second World War the residents of Harlem learned of the plight of the Jews in Europe and wondered if they might suffer a similar fate.

 In Strivers Row, we follow the experiences of two young black men, living in Harlem during the War, whose lives become intertwined due to a series of chance encounters.  Their parallel experiences serve to compare and contrast the lives of these two men.

Malcolm Little is a young hustler.  He arrives as a wide eyed dreamer, and soon becomes enamored with the excitement of the City.  Soon he is involved in hustling, petty crime, running numbers, and dealing drugs.  Along the way, Malcolm learns about Elijah Mohammed and the Nation of Islam.  These experiences serve as an education which will form the basis of the transformation of Malcolm Little to Malcolm X.

Contrasted with Malcolm is Jonah Dove.  Jonah is a young minister who is unsure of himself and his abilities.  Due to his biracial heritage, Jonah is able to "pass".  In fact, he has taken to leaving Harlem and experiencing what life is like for white men.  It is these journeys which lead Jonah to question his calling as a minister and a leader of the black community.

In the end, I think each character learns that life is not just what happens to you, but what you make it to be.

I liked this novel.  Taken as a whole, the three novels of the trilogy paint an interesting picture of life in New York City in the last 150 years.

                                                                            

Lock In by John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery

Setting: Sometime in the late twenty-first century.

First Sentence: My first day on the job coincided with the first day of the Hayden Walkout, and I'm not going to lie, that was some awkward timing.

John Scalzi is one of my favorite authors.  In his novel he creates interesting, well developed characters and places them in unique universes.  This novel is a fine example of Scalzi's craft.

The action of this novel is in the late twenty-first century.  There has been a pandemic.  Many died, but there was a unique group of survivors.  Some became lock-ins.  Fully awake and aware but disconnected to their bodies.  Others became integrators.  These people can connect with a locked in person and allow the lock in to "borrow" the integrator's body.

Because of advances in technology, lock ins and integrators have neural nets embedded into their brains.  Lock ins can use these nets to communicate with the outside world.  They can also use these nets to connect with and control humanoid automatons.  

This advanced technology means that lock ins can participate fully in day to day activities.  They can have jobs and go to work anywhere.  They live in their automatons while their actual body lies dormant miles away.  Some lock ins never visit their bodies at all.

A multi-billion dollar infrastructure has grown to provide lock ins with computer networking services, and automatons.

In this novel, our main character, Agent Shane, is a lock in and uses an automaton.  He has just  begun his job as an FBI agent.  He and his partner, a grizzled veteran who once was an integrator, have been called to a homicide scene.  At  the scene is a victim, and an integrator covered with blood who doesn't recall killing the victim.  Of course, the evidence at the scene doesn't add up.

As they investigate, the clues lead to a nefarious individuals who want to gain control over the entire lock in infrastructure.

Will Shane and his partner discover who is behind the plot?

A novel like this, with so much original detail,would need a lot of exposition to explain the universe to the reader.  In fact Scalzi has included an informative introduction which is very helpful.

Scalzi has also included plenty of action to keep the reader interested.

I enjoyed reading this novel.  I like Scalzi's easy to read writing style.

The premise of this novel is very original. I'd love to read more stories about Agent Shane and his partner set in this universe.

                               

The Big Switch by Harry Turtledove

Genre: Alternate History

Setting: An alternate version of World War II, in 1940 and 1941.

First Sentence: Vaclav Jezek slogged up a dirt track in Eastern France.

This novel is the third in Turtledove's War That Came Early series.  This series currently runs to six novels.

The point of departure from our timeline is 1938.  What if English Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stood up to Hitler rather than attempting to appease him?  In the author's view, the war would have begun early, and the European nations would have been unprepared for the ensuing war.

Midway through this novel the author gives us another important shift from our timeline.  In 1941, German official Rudolph Hess flew solo to Scotland in an attempt negotiate a peace between England and Germany.

What if the English government accepted his proposal?

This is the big switch referred to in the title of this novel.  In the middle of the war England and France broker a peace with Germany.  Then they ally themselves with Germany to fight the Russians on the eastern front.

In this novel Turtledove uses his usual style of story telling.  We follow a group of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and non-combatants.  The author relates different episodes in each character's life.  Through their eyes we see how the was has impacted them.  Rather than getting the big picture view of the war from the point of the generals and other leaders, we experience the "boots on the ground" view of the war from those on the front lines.

For me, this was an OK read.  Keeping track of the characters was a challenge.  I wish the author had included a dramatis personae to aid the reader in keeping track of the characters.

If you are interested in this novel, I suggest that you read them in order.

                                        

The Human Division by John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction

Setting: In space, and on various planets.

First Sentence: Ambassador Sara Bair knew that when the captain of the Polk had invited her to view the skip to the Danavar system, protocol strongly suggested that she turn down the invitation.

This novel is part of Scalzi's Old Man's War series.  This series consists of several novels and novelettes based in the Old Man's War universe.  In this universe, there are hundreds of sentient species spread out across the galaxy.  Humans are represented in space by the Colonial Defense Forces (CDF).

For many rears, the CDF has been at war with many other species who wish to slow down, or even stop humanity's invasion of space.  Humans are looked down upon, feared, or even hated by most of the other sentient species.

Now the CDF is hated by most of Earth as well.  It seems that the CDF has not been truthful about the status of colonies and the Colonial Union (CU) in space.  So the Earth has withdrawn from the the Colonial Union.

Now that Earth is no longer a part of the Colonial Union, the CU has a problem.  The CU has used the Earth as a source of new recruits for colonies and the CDF.  Given this new state of affairs, the human race may be extinct in thirty years.

The CU needs to use every means it has to rectify this situation.  This includes diplomacy. The CU has crack teams of special operators that are used in the most sensitive missions.

It also has the B team.  This team is used when failure is the most probable outcome.

The B team consists of several specialists who seem to be able to find a way to solve seemingly unsolvable situations by using technology, thinking out side the box, and a little bit of luck.

It seems that someone has been trying to stop the CU from succeeding in its missions.  Will the B team discover who has been trying to covertly disrupt their efforts?

Scalzi is one of my favorite authors.  His Old Man's War universe is one of the best thought out universes I have encountered.  Scalzi's characters are believable.  His plots ore interesting.  And he writes in an easy to read style.

I especially like how he tells stories about many different characters in his universe.

For me it was a fun and enjoyable read.

                               

The Synchronicity War: Part 1. by Dietmar Arthur Wehr

Genre: Science Fiction, Military Science Fiction

Setting: On Earth, and in interstellar space.  Sometime in the future.

First Sentence: Cmdr. Victor Shiloh noticed that the usual Bridge chatter had died down to almost nothing as the Squadron emerged from Jumpspace.

This novel is the first book in Wehr's Synchronicity War series.  This series has four parts.

Earth's first contact with aliens became an unexpected battle.  Humanity is in the early stages of interstellar travel.  So far, the focus has been exploration.

Apparently, the aliens they have encountered are warlike and aggressive. Fortunately, they are not much more technologically advanced than humans.

Clearly, Earth needs to get up to speed and level the playing field before the aliens discover where Earth is. Until now the Space Force has been concerned with smugglers and pirates.  Now they have to transform into an elite battle ready fighting force.

Commander Victor Shiloh has quickly become the only commander with successful battle experience.  Although he is a good battle tactician, he has an edge up on the other commanders.  At crucial points Shiloh has a vision.  These visions give him information about future events.  So far the visions have been very accurate.  When Shiloh follows his visions, the results have been positive and successful.

What is the source of Shiloh's prescient visions?

For me, this was an enjoyable read.  If you are into military scifi, you will like this book.  There is lots of procedural details about armaments, weapons, and spaceship design.  There is plenty of tactical and strategic planning for building a fleet and gathering intel about these unknown aliens.

And of course there is a generous sprinkling of military nomenclature and acronyms.

It's an enjoyable read.  Check it out!

                   

An Ensuing Evil and Others by Peter Tremayne

Genre: Historical Mystery, Short Stories

Peter Tremayne is the author of the Sister Fidelma historical mystery series.

In this book Tremayne has compiled of fourteen short mystery stories featuring a unique assemblage of sleuths.

They are:

Macbeth, Shakespeare's Scottish monarch, before he attains the throne.

Doctor Watson relating some of Sherlock Holmes's lesser known mysteries.

Charles Dickens before he became a famous author.

Constable Hardy Drews serving in London during the time of Shakespeare.

Bengali Inspector Ram Jayram during the British Raj.

Captain Richard Roscarrock aboard the HMS Deerhound during the age of sail, investigating a murder that took place during a naval sea battle.

Doctors Ross and Fane solving a locked room mystery aboard an airliner cruising at 32,000 feet.

And, of course, Sister Fidelma finding the true solution to an apparent open-and-shut case.

I enjoyed reading about these different sleuths solving unique mysteries during different historical eras. 


                                                                      

Atonement of Blood by Peter Tremayne

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Ancient Ireland, 7th century AD

First Sentence: Eadulf was staring moodily out of the window at the darkening sky above the fortress of Cashel, the stronghold of Colgu, King of Muman.

This novel is the twenty-fourth in Tremayne's Fidelma mystery series.

Fidelma and her husband are attending a feast presided over by Fidelma's brother Colgu, the King of Muman. During the festivities a monk arrives asks to speak to the king.  When the monk is admitted to the king's presence, the monk attempts to assassinate the king. While stabbing the king the assassin shouts, "Remember Liamuin!" The monk is quickly killed.

His death leaves a mystery. Who is he? Who is Liamuin? And, why did the assassin want to kill the king?

Soon, Fidelma and Eadulf are traveling the countryside asking questions and gathering clues.

Fidelma is a logical thinker.  She uses logic to uncover facts which she uses to form the basis for her legal decisions.  In this novel, she is frustrated by the number of clues she discovers by coincidence.

Yet, in the end she eventually gathers the facts she needs to unravel the mystery.  A mystery that involves intertribal hatred,  political intrigue, and unrequited love.

There are two things I especially liked about this novel.  First, the author lets Fidelma and Eadulf spend some time with Alchu, their son.  He appears at the beginning of the novel.  As Fidelma and Eadulf leave to investigate, we see Eadulf rue the fact that, once again, they are leaving Alchu behind.

Also, there is a running gag about Eadulf's cultural background.  Eadulf is an Angle.  But characters continually refer to him as a Saxon.  A mistake he usually corrects, often to deaf ears.

In my opinion, this was an enjoyable read.  The complex plot kept me guessing until the reveal.  Fidelma continues to be one of my favorite characters.