Alt Hist Issue 2 - edited by Mark Lord

    2011; 90 pages.  New Author(s)? : Yes.  Genre : Anthology; Hist. Twist.  Full Title : Alt Hist Issue 2 : The Magazine of Historical Fiction and Alternate History.  Overall Rating : 6*/10.

    Eight short stories, plus three book reviews.  What ties them together are their historical settings, ranging in time from ancient Egypt to World War 1.  The stories vary in length, in sub-genre, and frankly in quality.  But that is to be expected in any anthology.

    The usual Hammy's Books format doesn't work well for compilations, so instead...

The Stories & Sub-Genres...
(1) Long Nights in Languedoc - Horror, Humor
(2) The Apollo Mission - Alt. History
(3) Son of Flanders - Whodunit
(4) In Cappadocia - Inner Terror
(5) The Orchid Hunters - Thriller
(6) Death in Theatre - Internal Psych
(7) The Scarab of Thutmose - Fantasy, Intrigue
(8) The Watchmaker of Filigree Street - Fantasy

   All the tales qualify as Historical Fiction.  For me, (1), (2), (5), and (7) were the best of the bunch.  YMMV.

Kewlest New Word...
Doxy : a mistress or lover (pejorative)

Excerpts...
    "Sir Richard."  Tobias tried not to raise his voice.  Never show a wild beast fear, his grandfather had said.  Of course, the old codger died trampled by a boar, so maybe his wasn't the best advice.
    (...) "Look at them," Tobias said, still backing away.  "They're huge."
    "All the more glory for us when we defeat them."  Sir Richard held out a hand, blocking Tobias's retreat.  "Show some spine."
    "They'll show my spine if I stick around.  Most of my ribs, too."  (loc. 298)

    "Ooh that feels almost as good as dancing."  Seti leaned back in his ivory chair.  "I told you before I'm fed up with my duties.  What do I care about snails in the Nile that are wrecking the fishing industry?  I just want to dance like a lovely maiden and enjoy life."  Springing up he spread his arms and twirled like a top, his kilt of silk flying up around his slender thighs.
    "Indeed you have a gift for the Goddess Hathor," Amenhotep said diplomatically.  "Our lady of pleasure and drunkenness loves you."  (loc. 1444)

Kindle Details...
    Issue 2 was, and still is, a free download at Amazon.  Issues 1, 3, and 4 range in price from $3.99 to $6.99.  Issue 4 came out in late May, and it looks like the magazine is published every six months or so.  So the next issue will probably come out in October/November.

"Nobody should drink beer this morning and tumble into the Nile."  (loc. 1632)
    At 90 pages, Alt Hist Issue 2 is a very short book, made even worse by the fact that there are three book reviews at the end that you probably won't care about.  Since it's free, I have no quibble, but I don't think I'd pay several dollars for the other, equally-short issues.

    There is very little Alt History.  Yeah, I know, read the fine print in the subtitle, Hammy.  All the stories are grounded in Historical Fiction, and varying the sub-genres helped keep things interesting.  Therefore, I dub a selection of stories like this to be Historical Twists, which I'll shorten to Hist Twist for poetic reasons.

    If you like to read History, and you don't mind it blended with other genres, you will find this a worthwhile book.  If your taste is for "pure" Alt-History, however, you should probably give it a pass.

     It's always hard to rate an Anthology, since you know going in that some of the stories will resonate with you more than others.  We'll give this 6 Stars, cuz it's way too short, but there is some good stuff here.

The Earth Goddess - Richard Herley

    1984; 256 pages.  New Author? : No.  Book 3 of The Pagans trilogy.  Genre : Historical Adventure.  Overall Rating : 7½*/10.

    Time marches on.  The Hunter-Gatherer tribes are no more.  Paoul, Tagart's adopted son, is taken in by the "civilized" people and is destined for the Red Priesthood.

    The Hunter-Gatherers would be appalled.  The farming and mining communities are dangerous enemies; the Flint Lord's soldiers even more so.   But the Red Priests, with their tattooed 5-pointed stars on the left hands, are said by Tagart to be the most-feared of all.  Time marches on.

What's To Like...
    The Earth Goddess has a different tone than the first two books of this series (reviewed here and here).  The focus is now on Religion, so not surprisingly, there is a lot less fighting and killing.  Indeed, after an initial spate of it, most of the subsequent bloodshed occurs offscreen.

    Richard Herley sets this third book about 8 years after Book 2.  Tagart, Fodich, and Lord Hewzane serve as a bridge between the two novels.  Rian and Ika also have lesser roles.  For the most part, we are treated to a new cast of characters, and new lands to explore.  Paoul, the hero, is not of Tagart's bloodline, and that's a nice change-of-pace.  Like Tagart, he has his flaws.

    Despite the paucity of gore, TEG is not a boring read.  The writing is strong, and the pace, with one exception (the details of the Red Priests' dogma), moves along at a nice clip.   The major characters are well-developed (maybe that's the upside to less bloodshed), and there are some deep insights about Religion in this story that are still applicable today.

    The ending seemed a bit hurried to me, but it had some neat twists and there is a kewl epilogue.  All the major plotlines (Paoul's heritage, religion, and love issues; plus Hothen's lot) are tied up,  I like this better than some other neverending series I've read (WoT, GRRM).

Kewlest New Word...
Stultifying : causing to appear foolish or absurd.

Excerpts...
    "I ... I want to know why I have been brought here.  Am I ... am I to be sacrificed?"
    The old priest looked amused.  "What gives you that idea?"
    "I once heard someone say..."
    "Say what?"
    "That children were sacrificed to the Earth Mother.  By the red priests.  By you."
    "I'm sorry to disappoint you.  Here we cut no throats at all."  (loc. 761)

    "Pagans", they were called; but who were the real heathens, the criminals who abused the greatest faculty of man?  There could be no going back to the forests.  It was too late for that.  The marvels of Tagart's age had gone.  Man was coming to another age, not of decay, as the Order so cynically had it, but of potential unfulfilled.  It never could be fulfilled if he were deprived of the single faculty on which the world's welfare hinged, the faculty indivisible from that which Paoul loved and worshipped most in Yseld: the human spirit.  (loc. 3065)

Kindle Details...
  I bought The Earth Goddess for $2.99 at Amazon.  Book 2, The Flint Lord, is also $2.99.  Book 1, The Stone Arrow, is free for the downloading.  You really can't ask for a better deal than that.

"Above all, remember Gauhm."  (loc. 1019)
    For me, the overlying theme throughout this trilogy was the merits of civilization (as we define it) versus the merits of those who we would call savages/pagans.  The first book examines farming vs. hunting as a lifestyle.  In Book 2, the focus is on the two sides' abilities in warfare.  And here, the topic is an organized religion vs. nature worship.

    In each case, the pagans acquit themselves admirably.  Yet their victories are bittersweet and Pyrrhic.  Hunter-Gatherers may survive a single encounter, but in the long run, the Agrarian way of life always wins out.

    I enjoyed The Earth Goddess, in part bacause the other reviews at Amazon alerted me to the change in tone.  For that matter, I enjoyed the trilogy as a whole.  7½ Stars for TEG; 8 Stars for the series.

The Philosophical Strangler - Eric Flint

    2001; 432 pages.  New Author? : No.  Genre : Comedic Fantasy.  Book #1 in the Joe's World series.  Overall Rating : 5½*/10.

    Make way for the foremost strangulations-for-hire enterprise in New Sfinctr : the brains & brawn duo of Ignace and Greyboar.  The latter does the deeds and the former handles the business end.

    Lately, Greyboar's been smitten by a new fancy - Philosophy.  And when you're more interested in achieving the cosmic states of Languor, Torpor, and Stupor than squeezing off breathing passages, it's bound to impact the profits.

What's To Like...
    There are a bunch of fascinating characters besides Ignace and Greyboar.  Cat is a myopic swordswoman looking to wreak vengeance on someone named Schrodinger.  Jenny and Angela are a pair of sexy, gay nymphs ("bi", actually, if Ignace is to be believed).  Hrundig is a barbarian mercenary who will remind you of Pratchett's Cohan.  Benvenuti "Benny" Piccolomini is a handsome artist, and the ex-BF of Gwendolyn, the fearsome sister of Greyboar.

    The text is rich with witty aphorisms, and there's a neat, hilarious, and totally useless  map.  The book is written in the first-person, courtesy of Ignace's cynical view of life.

    The Philosophical Strangler spoofs philosophy (natch), epic fantasy, Dante's Inferno, and even Quantum Physics.  But there are also some more serious topics, including racism (dwarf pogroms) and organized religion(s).

Kewlest New Word...
Hoyden : a boisterous, bold, and carefree girl.

Excerpts...
    Then, thankfully, my pain was eased because business hit what would have been a dry spell for us anyway, because Greyboar wouldn't have taken any of the six commissions offered to burke Amelie.  Tough cookie, Amelie.  She hired stranglers to strangle stranglers, and managed to stay unchoked for a fortnight.  But then she died of poisoning.
    The dry spell would have continued, however, because the courts ruled that the last sister on that side of the family - Arianne - was the heir.  But Arianne only lasted a day.  Committed suicide.  Stabbed herself twelve times in the back.  (pg. 142)

    I prepared for the worst.  Just about the very absolute worst I could imagine.  I'd never thought I'd die of old age in a bed, mind you.  But still!  Being devoured by an ogre in a sewer was a bit much.
    Suddenly, the monster sniffed again.  Then again.  I realized it had detected the odor of the cheese in the knapsack.  Nasty, gooey stuff, it was.  Jenny and Angela had scrounged it up just before we left.  Neither Greyboar nor I had touched the crap, after taking one look at it.  I cringed.
    "Camembert!" squealed the horror.  "And I've got just the wine for it, too!  A nice little pinot noir I've been saving!"  (pg. 353)

"Folly ever comes cloaked in opportunity," as the wise man says.  (pg. 7)
    For all its pluses, TPS lacks one key element - a plotline.  The book comes off more like a series of short stories that are all pretty much the same.  The humor gets repetitive and the only plot progression is Greyboar getting more and more choosy about what business propositions to accept, based on his "professional ethics".

    Fortunately, Eric Flint's writing skills keep things from becoming completely boring, and about 2/3 of the way through, we finally get to the Dante-esque quest, which is long enough to qualify as a plotline.  But there is a lot of meh to trudge through first.

  The Philosophical Strangler will never be considered Eric Flint's masterpiece - that would be 1632, reviewed here.  One senses that the author would agree.  He put out one sequel - Forward The Mage - then let the series grind to a halt.  5½ Stars.

Vaetra Unveiled - Daniel R. Marvello

    2012; 296 pages.  Genre : Fantasy.  Book #1 of The Vaetra Chronicles.  New Author? : Yes.  Overall Rating : 5*/10.

    Jaylan Forester has a decent life.  He's part-owner of an inn in Northtown, and a guard-for-hire with Raven Company, a local mercenary group.

    Then a cryptic note, "Need help.  Meet at inn.  Can pay." introduces him to new people and new places.  Ah, but it also reveals a terrifying self-truth.  Jaylan may have sorcery talents!

What's To Like...
    Vaetra Unveiled is comprised of three mini-quests : find a lost thief; find a lost boy; and look into a late shipment.  The setting has a "northern Canadian woodlands" feel, and that's a pleasant change-of-pace.  The chapters are a mix of first-person perspective (Jaylan's POV), and third-person (anybody else's POV), and I can't recall any other book that uses that template.

    Vaetra is Daniel Marvello's term for Magic, and we can expect it to be a central theme in the series.  But the locals, including Jaylan, view it with mistrust, something to be shunned, and if detected in oneself, something to be suppressed.  Our hero wrestles with this thoughout the story.

    Vaetra Unveiled is a very clean novel.  There is no sex, no booze, no cussing, and no drugs.  Indeed, the second mini-quest carries a strong anti-drug message. There is one incident of nudity, entirely gratuitous and unneeded.  One gets the feeling the target audience is tweener boys.

Excerpts...
    It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next.  I was starting to understand why sorcery was so widely reviled.  Powerful and manipulative people always raised my ire, but this was manipulative power taken to a new level.  Someone had to stop the Lord Thoron's (sic) of the world from preying on people who had no sorcery to defend themselves.  (loc. 2582)

    "I can see you care for him."
    Sulana blinked.  "What?  Care for him?  I... respect him.  But it's nothing more than that."
    Ebnik raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.  Daven grimaced and looked at the ground.
    Sulana looked back and forth between them.  "Really?  Why should you think that?  I hardly know him!"
    "Exactly," Daven said under his breath.
    Ebnik nodded with a knowing smirk.  "As you say."  (loc. 2983)

Kindle Details...
    Vaetra Unveiled is available at Amazon for $2.99.  This is the only book offered by Daniel Marvello, although I gather he is currently working on its sequel.

"Every goal has a price.  It's up to you to decide of the price is worth achieving the goal."  (loc. 1014)
    Regrettably, I found the writing and story-telling in Vaetra Unveiled to be pedestrian.  The action is minimal and often misplaced.  The most exciting clash involves a not-too-bright troll with a death wish, and the incident turns out to be irrelevant to the storyline.

    The mini-quests are far from epic, and each of them provided several missed opportunities for added adventure and excitement.  There are too many coincidences and too many spur-of-the-moment sentences.

    First efforts by writers are often rough around the edges, and Vaetra Unveiled is no exception.  But the world created by Daniel Marvello is too interesting to discard, and one can only speculate about how the unique role of sorcery will be handled in subsequent books in the series.  Here's hoping the author continues to hone his writing skills.

    5 Stars.  Add another 2½ stars if you're a 10-13 year-old boy who likes to read Hardy Boys mysteries.

In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner - Elizabeth George

    1999; 716 pages.  Genre : Police Procedural.  Book 10 (out of 17) of the Inspector Lynley series.  New Author? : Yes.  Overall Rating : 7*/10.

    In Derbyshire, at the Nine Sisters Henge (see book cover), the bodies of a pair of hikers are discovered.  Curiously, they were killed with different weapons and in somewhat different locations.  The young man died of multiple stab wounds, and within the circle of stones.  The young woman died from a blow to the head, about 100 yards outside the henge.

    Curiously, they didn't appear to know each other.  So, one killer or two?  Connected or not?  What are the motives, and where are the murder weapons?

What's To Like...
    In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner is a police procedural, and that's probably my favorite sub-genre of Crime Fiction.  The twist here is that there are three detectives, each strong-willed, and each with tunnel vision about his/her pet theory.  Egos clash, especially between Lynley and his former police partner, Barbara Havers.  I found this a bit overdone, but I suspect that's because I'm not reading the series in order.

    I like the setting - the moors of rural England.  Elizabeth George provides a handy map of the local area so you can find your way around.  The suspects and motives are varied and interesting; so are the cops.  It apparently is a lot easier to get a search warrant and rough up a suspect while interrogating him in the UK, compared to here.

    There is some clunkiness.  A critical piece of clothing is left in a hotel hallway, while a similar article is dumped in a trash bin.  The discovery of the former leads to the latter.  Why not just dump both in the tip?  But for the most part, the investigation unfolds logically.  Our heroes search for clues, run down false leads, and question suspects, all the while making slow but steady progress.

Kewlest New Word...
Rebarbative : repulsive, abhorrent, irritating.  (Rebarbative is the "R" word in the Abecedarian Insult, if you know what that is)

Excerpts...
    "We're richly blessed, Katie," he said to his wife as she sat at the table where Bella was inserting a carrot stick into her sister's right nostril.  Sarah screamed in protest and startled PJ.  He turned from his mother's milk and began to wail.
    Kathleen shook her head wearily.  "It's all in the definition, I dare say."   (pg. 366)

    (H)e wasn't entirely unprepared for the sight of a uniformed constable seated outside the door of Vi Nevin's room.  He was, however, completely unprepared for the appearance of the orange-haired harpy in a crumpled pantsuit who was sitting next to the cop.  She leapt to her feet and came hurtling in Martin's direction the moment she saw him.
    She shrieked, "It's 'im, it's 'im, it's 'im!"  She flew at Martin like a starving hawk with a rabbit in sight, and she sank her talons into the front of his shirt and screeched, "I'll kill you.  Bastard.  Bastard!"  (pg. 534)

"I always like to end my day with a spot of murder."  (pg. 241)
    I think this was my first 700-page whodunit.  The challenge when writing such a tome of course, is in keeping the reader's attention.

    Elizabeth George is an American writer who sets her series in England, and the book is full of Britishisms.  She doles out the clues, the twists, the red herrings, and the wit bit-by-bit, and just when you're getting tired of that routine, she spices things up with some kinky sex practices.

    I can't quite call IPofPS a page-turner, but it did hold me sufficiently intrigued.  The story kept me guessing who did it and why; and the clues are there if you're astute enough to catch them. I wasn't. The resolution of the case did not feel arbitrary, and it was fun to follow the multiple investigations, especially when they became misdirected.

    It was a long read, but worthwhile.  7 Stars.  Add 1 star if you're reading the series in order.

Timepiece - Heather Albano

    2011; 307 pages.  New Author? : Yes.  Genre : Time-Travel, Alt-History, Steampunk, ZombieMania.  Overall Rating : 8*/10.

    Someone has sent Elizabeth Barton a very strange watch.  Instead of a single face, it has four, one of which even has moving pictures in it (which is astounding, given that this is 1815), and none of which keep the time.

    There's a beautiful fob attached to it, and it has two stems; one on the top, one on the side.  And if you press the top stem all the way down twice, then the side one, the most amazing thing happens...

What's To Like...
    Timepiece is an ambitious mixing of a gob of genres that nevertheless works smoothly.  Most of the settings are in 19th Century England, and the historical places and lifestyle had a convincing feel.  There was also a good understanding of the Battle of Waterloo.  Time-Travel is the featured genre (hence the title), and if I counted right, there are 10 chrono-hops to and from 6 locations.  Alt-History-wise, Heather Albano is not afraid to rewrite a timeline, and that's a delight for any reader of the genre.

    Coming up with believable Time-Travel rules and mechanisms is always a challenge (what happens if I go back in time and kill my parents before I was born?), but they are well-crafted here. The only clunky part was when the novel's self-imposed "you can't be in two places at the same time" rule was broken, but maybe the author painted herself into a corner, and we'll overlook this for the sake of an exciting, coherent storyline.

    The Steampunk parts (the constructs) were very good.  The "Wellies" didn't float my boat, but I'm not big on that genre.  Any novel that has French in it gets a thumbs-up from me, even if I did wince at "de le duc de Wellington".

Kewlest New Word...
Nuncheon : a light meal taken either mid-morning or mid-afternoon, usually consisting of bread, cheese, and beer.

Excerpts...
    The pocket watch arrived on a day when nothing else was engaging Elizabeth's attention: no parties or social calls to prepare for or recover from, nothing but gardening or letter-writing to occupy a young lady's morning.  Or fancy-work, of course, but Elizabeth avoided needles and embroidery frames whenever she could.
    Truth be told, she did not much care for letter-writing either.  To her mother's despair, she had no liking at all for any occupation that required her to sit still.  (loc. 64)

    On the way back from Murchison's, she had spoken a little about her mother the opera singer, and William had heard enough to be fairly certain her plan for "after the war" had not been to settle down with Trevelyan but rather to make tracks for La Scala.
    Not that it mattered what the plan was.  She'd had one.  It was all wrong that people with future plans should die on battlefields.  Particularly when there were so many others who didn't care whether they lived or died.  (loc. 3921)

Kindle Details...
    I bought Timepiece for $0.99 at Amazon; which is still its price.  A sequel, Timekeeper, is in the works; due out late this summer.

Sand in the gears, William thought.  (loc. 4962)
    The ending is best described as adequate, but that seemed inherent due to the "sand in the gears" choice of plot resolution. Some felt it had a trite, "cliffhanger" ending, but I found it to be more like a teaser for the next book, which is fine.  The basic issue in Timepiece is dealing with the Wellies and the Constructs, and that is fully dealt with.

    The strong female lead character and the attention to historical detail reminded me of Mary Gentle's Ash series.  I very much enjoyed those books.  It's nice when the strong female lead is surrounded by also-strong males, not a bunch of wussies.

    Timepiece is a fine first-effort by a talented, up-and-coming writer.  If you're looking for a book that actually focuses on Time-Travel and Alternate History, and is not just a façade for a romance or a mystery, this tale's for you.  8 Stars.

Merde Actually - Stephen Clarke

    2005; 448 pages.  New Author? : Yes.  Book #2 in the Merde series.  Genre : Fictional Anecdotal Humor.  Overall Rating : 7½*/10.

    There are many things in this world that Paul West doesn't understand.  The entire nation of France, for instance.  Also, women in general and girlfriends in particular.  This is critical because Paul is in the process of setting up an English Tea Shop.  In Paris, and with his French amie as his business partner.

    Will Paul attain financial success?  Will he find true love?  If he doesn't stop his bed-hopping ways, he's more likely to wind up in la merde than in l'amour.

What's To Like...
    Merde Actually is the sequel to Stephen Clarke's debut hit, A Year in the Merde.  I haven't read the latter, and that didn't seem a hindrance.  There are lots of funny parts, with an overall tone similar to the self-deprecating style of David Sedaris.  About 3/4 of the story takes place in France; the other 1/4 in England.  I've visited both countries, and the author nicely captures their essence.  Ask me sometime about my wife ordering ten cups of coffee in Chalons when what she wanted was one cup of de-caf.

    Since I took three years of French, I was delighted with the many French expressions sown throughout the book.  But you can enjoy MA even if you don't know anything in la langue Française; the author is careful to give a translation of any phrases that aren't obvious in meaning.

    There are some cuss words, and there is a ton of sex, so don't read this if you're a prude.  It's all done in a lighthearted style, and what would you expect from a book with "Merde" in its title?  The humor can get a bit repetitive, and the plot is sparse, not really getting going until close to the end.  I was entertained from start to finish, with plenty of smiling and chuckling; and that's all you can ask for from a book of this genre.

Kewlest New Word...
Smeggy : unsavory, horrible, foul-smelling, cheesy.  (a Britishism, I suspect)

Excerpts...
    "Connasse!" he shouted.
    French insults are so wonderfully grammatical, I thought.  Even in the heat of a verbal battle you have to remember to change the rude word for a male idiot, 'connard', to the feminine form.  (pg. 12)

    Back then, I didn't understand something very important about sitting in a café in a non-touristy part of rural France.  The people aren't necessarily unfriendly.  It's just that they're so unused to strangers that they don't notice you.  Or if they do see you, they don't know what to do with you.  The barman knows what every one of his customers drinks at any time of the day, so the arrival of a non-regular doesn't compute.  Why is someone sitting in Marcel's seat when Marcel's been dead for three years?  (pg. 62-63)

"Never trust a philosopher.  Especially an existentialist."  (pg. 371)
    Stephen Clarke is a British writer that lives and works in France.  He self-published the first book in the Merde series, A Year In The Merde, on a lark, and watched as it became enormously popular in both France and England.

    I found Merde Actually in the $1 bargain bin at my local used-book store, bereft and forlorn.  As is true of a whole slew of other witty British writers - Robert Rankin, Tom Holt, Tom Sharpe, just to name a few - we Yanks have yet to discover Stephen Clarke.  More's the pity for our ignorance.

    7½ Stars.  Add 1 star if you're English or French.  Vive les auteurs Européens!

The Tide Mill - Richard Herley

    2008; 352 pages.  New Author? : No.  Genre : Historical Fiction.  Oerall Rating : 8½*/10.

    Life's been rough on young Ralf Grigg.  His father's carpentry business has failed, saddling the family with overwhelming debt, and rendering them FVT (Fishing Village Trash).  They are still freemen, but they're just one step above the lowly serfs.

    Ralf is content with his lot, but Fate throws his life a twist when he saves the (local) baron's son, Godric, from drowning in the saltings.  Despite the difference in their social status, the boys develop a keen friendship, which opens new doors for Ralf.  But not always for the better.

What's To Like...
    The Tide Mill is a fine piece of Historical Fiction, set along the south coast of England in the 1250's AD.  Richard Herley gives vivid and detailed descriptions of the flora and fauna, the homes and furnishings, and the daily lives of everyone from nobility  to serfs.  The segues from story to settings are smoother here than in the other two of the author's books I've read (reviewed here and here).

    Of course, the Fiction is equally important to Historical Fiction, and here the storyline holds its own quite well.  Ralf is gifted in both art and engineering, but Herley also makes him a Shakespearean tragi-hero, smitten with a girl he cannot have.

    There is action, there is drama, there are several romances, and there is political tension between the Church and the Crown.  The characters are deep and likeable, and I liked the ending.  Through it all, we follow the construction of the ingenious Tide Mill.  Tide mills really exist, although today they are obsolete.  The Wikipedia article on them, including a couple great pics, is here.

Kewlest New Word...
Immured : Enclosed or confined against one's will.

Excerpts...
    A baron was a vassal of the King.  The King was a vassal of God.  The archbishops who had presided at his coronation derived their authority from the Pope.
    The King was sovereign, above all.  His court, his treasury, and his army were the visible symbols of his might; but the wealth and power of the Church, more shrewdly exercised, were no less.  The revenues of the Alincester diocese alone were rumoured to be greater than the King's.  (loc. 524)

    Last night Godric had professed himself fascinated.  He knew little more of mathematics than Ralf himself, whose prior experience had only been of the addition, subtraction, and simple geometry used in bench carpentry.  Linsell's knowledge derived from Master Hampden and the masons who had raised the Cathedral.  Having glimpsed its potential, Ralf now burned to have it for himself, and to go much further, to know what Diccon and Parfett knew.  Mathematics was like Latin, the future Latin, purer and more important, the language of engineering, and Ralf daily badgered his father for lessons.  (loc. 2137)

Kindle Details...
    The Tide Mills sells for $3.99 at Amazon.  Full disclosure : The author generously gifted me a copy of the book for my enjoyment and review.  Thank you, Richard Herley, sir!

"None of us is free.  Only God.  Only God is free."  (loc. 3107)
    For me, the overriding theme in The Tide Mill was that no one in medieval life was truly free.  Not the serfs, not the freemen, not the Baron and his family, not the priests, and not even the King and the Pope.  Everyone has a pre-defined role to play, and woe to anybody, great or small, who tries to shirk his duty or change the system.

    I am a History buff, so I thoroughly relished being immersed in 13th-century English life.  My Kindle's glossary contained most of the medieval words, and it also helped that Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series (set in England a century earlier) had already introduced me to a lot of these terms.  The design and construction of the tide mill was at times quite technical, but I think engineers would delight in it.

    8½ Stars.  It's nice to see that there still is some fine Historical Fiction being written.

I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

    2010; 440 pages.  Genre : Teen Fantasy.  Laurels : New York Times #1 Best Seller, Children's Chapter (7 weeks in a row).  New Author(s)? : Yes.  Overall Rating : 6*/10.

The wicked Mogadorians have destroyed every living thing on the planet Lorien.  Except for 9 "gifted" children, along with their guardians, who have fled to Earth, scattered, and gone into hiding while waiting for their special powers ("Legacies") to develop.

    But the Mogadorians are here as well, hunting down the Loriens in numerical order (don't ask).  Three have already been executed.  I am Number Four.

What's To Like...
    The prologue is riveting.  The climactic ending is over-the-top (which is fine) and 100 pages long.  In between things are kinda mundane, but at least they're fast-paced.  The book has some good messages for YA readers : don't bully; don't smoke; don't drink; don't use drugs (except for Loric pepper-upper pills); take care of the planet; be kind to animals.  The bully eventually turns into a good guy, which is a nice change-of-pace.  And there's a beagle named Bernie Kosar who most of the time steals the show.

    The writing is shallow, either because that's the skill level of Pittacus Lore, or because I Am Number Four is styled for YA readers.  We'll give the author the benefit of the doubt, and we'll ignore his mysterious bio.  Things move along swimmingly until your brain wakes up and says, "wait a minnit!"  Then there are problems - lots of them.  For instance:

a.) why can the kids only be killed in numerical order?  What kind of two-bit magic is that?

b.) how convenient that the planet Lorien was overflowing with diamonds, rubies, etc., and that the fleeing kids/guardians had the presence of mind to bring huge stashes with them to Earth, even as their planet was being blasted to smithereens.  Takes care of all the money problems.

c.) The healing stones only work when the injury was due to evil intent.  How amazing of the stone to instantly determine that!  How un-amazing that it can't fix ordinary injuries, like hitting your finger with a hammer.

d.) How prescient of Henri to teach Number 4 to function while completely engulfed in flames.  Right after learning that, he has to run into a burning house and rescue dogs and GF's.

Excerpts...
    In the beginning we were a group of nine.
    Three are gone, dead.
    There are six of us left.
    They are hunting us, and they won't stop until they've killed us all.
    I am Number Four.
    I know that I am next.  (pg. 9)

    "We're not leaving."
    "Yes we are."
    "You can if you want, but I'll go live with Sam.  I'm not leaving."
    "This is not your decision to make."
    "It's not?  I thought I was the one being hunted.  I thought I was the one in danger.  You could walk away right now and the Mogadorians would never look for you.  You could live a nice, long, normal life.  You could do whatever you want.  I can't.  They will always be after me.  They will always be trying to find me and kill me.  I'm fifteen years old.  I'm not a kid anymore. It is my decision to make."
    He stares at me for a minute.  "That was a good speech, but it doesn't change anything.  Pack your stuff.  We're leaving."  (pg. 258)

Let them come.  There will be no more running.  (pg. 88)
    It has to be kept in mind who the Target Audience is for IA#4 - the younger end of YA readers, junior high-schoolers. The bulk of the story takes place in high school, with thrills like a hayride, getting one's driver's license, and taking Home-Ec with the girls.

    Paradoxically, Pittacus Lore chose to sprinkle a couple of cuss words into the dialogue.  I guess they figure tweeners hear that vocabulary every day at school.  OTOH, the hot and heavy and hormonal make-out scenes consist of kissing, cuddling, and copping a grope of the young girl's ...um... lower back.  Be still my lustful heart.

    They made a movie out of this, which I haven't seen.  I think that's a better platform for all the book's clichéd, mind-numbing, deux-ex-machinas.  (what's the plural of deux?  dea?  deo? deum?  god, I hate Latin.)

    6 Stars, assuming you're an adult.  Add 1 star if you can keep your brain asleep.  Add 2 stars if you're in grades 6-8, plus 1 more star if you prefer reading Superman comics to Lord Of The Flies.

Devil Town - M. Edward McNally

    2012; 290 pages.  Book #4 of The Norothian Cycle series.  New Author? : No.  Genre : Epic Fantasy.  Overall Rating : 8½/10.

    Turmoil flares across the Norothian continent.  The Old Dragons are manipulating, the Ayzants are assimilating, the Codians are consolidating, and in Devil Town (neé Larbonne) the Demons are deploying.

    Across the channel, in Martas, a new force arises - a pentad of Young Dragons.  They are powerful and ambitious; and cause everybody else to quake in their boots, cloven hooves, and/or scales.

    In order to survive, alliances must be forged.  But with whom?  No one is completely good and no one, not even the Devils, are completely evil.

What's To Like...
    Devil Town focuses on the complex political maneuvering by the various Norothian powers after the nation-shattering fighting in the first three books.  There is still plenty of action though, spread out evenly through the story, and commencing with a superb, scene-setting opening skirmish.

    Devil Town also catches the reader up on almost all the characters encountered thus far.  I counted 21 re-acquaintances, with 20 of them still breathing at the story's end.  Add to this 5 new ones, and you have a busy tale.  M. Edward McNally supplies some helpful back-story, but in truth, this is not a stand-alone novel.

    There are more scene-shifts than usual for this series (which I like), and a kewl Faustian deal that just reinforces why I find Balan to be so diabolically charming.  The pacing is crisp, and the ending, if not quite epic in scope, will have you checking the author's website to see how he's coming along on the next installment.

Kewlest New Word...
Imprimatur : an acceptance or guarantee by someone that something is of a good standard; a personal stamp of approval.

Excerpts...
    She sighed too loud, and the man swung his weapon toward her, calling, "Halt!  Who goes there?"
    "It is I," Nesha-Tari said quietly.
    "I don't know anyone named Eye," the main (sic) said.  (loc. 2177)

        The legionnaires gripped the hilts of their swords though they did not bother to draw them as Zeb was unarmed.  Zeb shouted Tilda's name on the run, then for lack of a better option he tried a slide at the legionnaires' legs.  The old wooden floor was not exactly smooth, with some small cracks and irregularities to the fit of the planks.  Zeb caught a trouser leg, which ripped up to the knee as he went into a banging tumble and barrel roll that left him flat on his back in front (of) the legionnaires, staring down at him wide-eyed.
    "Really?" one of them asked.  "You want to try that again, fellow?"  (loc. 3096)

Kindle Details...
    Devil Town sells for $4.99 at Amazon, the same price as book 2, Death of a Kingdom, and book 3, The Wind from Miilark.  Book 1, The Sable City, is attractively priced at $3.99.  Full Disclosure : The author generously gifted me a copy of this book for my enjoyment and review.  Thank you, M. Edward McNally, sir!

"Loyalty and love must fade with time.  ... Coins can always take a polish."  (loc. 3295)
    The novel's title is both catchy and a bit misleading, since we pass through there only once and that's fairly early in the book.  Overall, Devil Town felt like an intermezzo between the national upheavals of the first three books, and what appear to be even grander clashes on the horizon.

    But this doesn't make it quiet or boring; it just means you have a chance to catch your breath, count noses, and attend to political details (some of them quite nasty) before another tidal wave of epic events comes crashimg ashore.

    8½ Stars.  An excellent series continues.  Subtract 1 star if you take it upon yourself to make this your first Norothian Cycle book.

Poland - James Michener

    1983; 616 pages.  Genre : Epic Historical Fiction.  Laurels : New York Times #1 Best Seller.  New Author? : Yes.  Overall Rating : 8*/10.

    Three families.  7½ centuries.  There are the aristocratic Lubonskis, striving to preserve the power of the Polish magnates.  There are the Bukowskis, petty gentry.  Forever striving to move up the social/political ladder.  And there are the Buks.  Eternal peasants, trying mostly to keep from starving.

    The three clans are tied together.  They are bound by the land itself around the (fictional) village of Bukowo; by the need to resist the hordes of foreign invaders that come in from every direction, and most of all, by a deep-rooted love of the Polish nation.

What's To Like...
    Poland is actually nine separate stories, each from a trying time in Polish history.  The oldest one starts with the Tatars storming through ca. 1240 AD.  They are followed by Teutonic Knights, Swedes, Turks, Austrians, Nazis and Russians, all invaders, all more-or-less successful.  Throughout it all, Poland endures.

    The characters, who change from one story to the next, are deeply developed and complex.  They are always heroes, but rarely saints.  The Lubonskis and Bukowskis depend on peasants like the Buks to ride with them in defense of the nation, then afterwards often hang them for minor offenses.

    The nation of Poland is both internally and externally cursed.  It has no natural barriers (mountains, lakes, seas, etc.) to slow down the hordes of conquerors.  And its magnates fear the centralized power of a king, so they elect weak ones, usually foreigners, and allow him to have no standing national army.

    Michener pulls no punches.  He paints gruesome scenes, with the Nazi occupation being particularly harrowing.  But he also pens touching moments, and you will end up fervently pro-Polish, even if you have no such blood in your veins.

Kewlest New Word...
Orotund (adj.) : pompous; pretentious; bombastic.  Here, an "orotund name" (the "Teutonic Knights").

Excerpts...
    (The Tatars) brought with them from the steppes no new ways of doing things, no inventions, no concepts which would revolutionize life within the lands they conquered.  And they took back with them no tangible artifacts which they could use to make their own life better: no process for weaving cloth or putting ideas into written words or building a better wooden plow.  They brought nothing and they took nothing.
    Yet in exactly this same year Crusaders from Europe were fighting in the Holy Land about Jerusalem, and from that experience they would bring back ideas and artifacts which would revolutionize Europe, and the Saracens among whom they lived and fought would borrow from them concepts innumerable.  It was Poland's grief that her visitors were Tatars and not Saracens, that her intercourse was not with cultivated Arabs but with explosive barbarians from the vast Asian deserts.  (pg. 55)

   Since the year 830 the men and women of the Buk line had belongd to other men and women of the Bukowski line, who in turn had been subservient to the men and women of the Lubonski line, who were subservient, by God, to no one, except that they had mismanaged things so sorely that they were now subservient to the Emperor Franz Josef, and you better keep that firmly in mind.  Things changed for the Lubonskis and to a lesser degree for the Bukowskis, but for the Buks they never changed.  (pg. 353)

 "A Pole is a man born with a sword in his right hand , a brick in his left.  When the battle is over, he starts to rebuild."  (pg. 149)
     James Michener started writing Poland in 1979, finished it in 1981, and it was published in 1983.  It coincided with the unimaginable rise of Lech Walesa's Solidarity Trade Unions, which reached the zenith of their vigor and membership in 1981, with 9½ million members.  Michener works this into his "present day" story, but without a resolution, since no one in 1981 could predict whether the Solidarity movement would be victorious, or whether Russian tanks would yet again brutally stamp out the flames of reform.

    Poland is an epic novel, masterfully written and carefully structured to keep you from getting bored.  At 600+ pages, it is not a quick read.  Ironically it is one of Michener's shorter novels.  Many of his books weigh in at 900-1,000 pages.  If you're looking for "pure" historical fiction and want to delve into some fascinating history. this book's for you.  8 Stars, and add two more if you happen to be Polish.

Alice's Adventures in Steamland - Wol-vriey

    2012; 233 pages.  New Author? : Yes.  Full Title : Alice's Adventures in Steamland: The Clockwork Goddess.  Genre : Bizarre Hybrid.  Overall Rating : 6*/10.

    Start by thoroughly mixing equal parts of Alice In Wonderland and Steampunk.  Next add some finely-diced Jack-The-Ripper.  Dump in a cup-and-a-half of sex scenes.  Bring to a simmer, and garnish with an Alternate Universe, where 1867 "Victorian America" is split into two queendoms - the North ("New York") ruled by the Red Queen, and the South ("Texas") ruled by her sister, Mech-Anna.

    Bake for 200+ pages, and Voila!, you have Alice's Adventures in Steamland.

What's To Like...
    AAiS is both original and ambitious.   This Alice is an ex-hooker and present paid assassin.  The March Hare(s), Cheshire Cat(s), Mad Hatter, and hookah-smoking Caterpillar are all altered in like manner.

    Steampunk gets a similar treatment.  There are huge mechanical spiders, bionic Indians, 40-meter-high mech rustlers, and a toothy reproductive organ.  Especially humorous are the steam-powered firearms.  It isn't easy shooting a rifle when you have to wait for the charcoal to heat the water into steam before the bullet can be discharged.

    The action is non-stop.  I found the sex scenes and foul-langauge to be somewhat excessive, but that's just me.  15-year-old hormonally-plagued boys may disagree.  These are all "straight" sex scenes.  I get the impression Wol-vriey is somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of gay sex.

    Alice is a strong, female lead character; as are the two queens.  The male main characters are weaker, but the rabbits are a hoot.

Excerpts...
   Victorian America, 1867 
   The train billowed as it chugged into New York.
    Catching a glimpse of a Goodyear blimp advertising the new four-speed bicycle, Alice Sin heaved a sigh of relief.  She'd made it to the capital without any air strikes.  Back in Chicago, she'd heard endless horror stories of travelers being blown to bits by bombs dropped from Texan military airships.  (loc. 84; opening paragraphs of the book)

    "Leave him - he's mine!" the badger said, sliding back the rifle's bolt to chamber another round.  "How dare you kill our mistress, human?"
    Jackson let go his thigh, realizing he'd inadvertently disarmed himself.  He ducked down and frantically felt beneath the bed for the revolver.  His fingers settled upon something hard but slippery.  Relieved to have found the pistol butt, he pulled it out to discover that it was only one of Aunt Marie's kidneys.
    Kidney in hand, Jackson stood and faced the servants.
    It's over, he thought.   (loc. 3893)

Kindle Details...
    I downloaded this for free at Amazon, but it is now $2.99.  Wol-vriey has a scond book available for Kindle, The Bizarro Story of I, also $2.99.

"What use is it being a wealthy twenty-two year old corpse?"  (loc. 4781)
    The book reads like a stream-of-consciousness panorama from Wol-vriey's mind.  Every other page brings something new and exciting, but when you take a step back, you find that the story-telling is shallow and lacks continuity.

    For example, the Jack-The-Ripper subplot is underdeveloped and unnecessary.  Finding and capturing him is too conveniently spur-of-the-moment.  Ditto for Alice's trek to meet and kill Mech-Anna.  After traipsing around all over Texas and getting nowhere, Alice opens a door and, well-glory-be, guess who's there?

    Ultimately, Alice's Adventure In Steamland screams to converted into a graphic novel.  The writing weakness would be subsumed by the images emanating from Wol-vriey's wondrous imagination.  A good artist would be able to soften the language, gore, and sex scenes down to at least R-rated panels.  We don't expect depth or scrupulous continuity in comic books, just dazzling artwork and entertaining action.

    My eyes drool (deliberate mixed metaphor) in anticipation of what the imaginative Wol-vriey and a gifted artist coud do with this story.  6 Stars.  Add two stars if you're a teenage boy, or if this gets converted into a graphic novel.

The Flint Lord - Richard Herley

    1981; 224 pages.  Genre : Action - Adventure.  Book #2 in The Pagans trilogy.  New Author? : No.  Overall Rating : 8*/10.

    Brennis Gehan Fifth needs more land.  For farms.  To feed his flint mining operation.  Southern England in 3000 BC has plenty of acreage.  But it's being used by its original inhabitants, the Hunter-Gatherers.

    There are quite a few of the latter, but they're spread out among a number of tribes.  It is time to annihilate them and take their land.  Brennis will need lots of mercaneries, imported from the mainland.  They will cost lots of money and lots of food.  But in the long run, it will be worth it.  And after all, he is The Flint Lord.

What's To Like...
    Tagart is back from the first book, The Stone Arrow (reviewed here).  He has first-hand experience as to how dangerous Lord Brennis is, but before he can convince others of that he needs to get assimilated into his new tribe (his old clan is no more), and resolve some serious woman issues.

    The action starts immediately and doesn't let up.  But here it is more complex than in The Stone Arrow, and more believable.  Brennis Gehan is a worthy adversary - cunning, ruthless, determined, and resourceful.  The Hunter-Gatherers' counter-plan to his invasion goes badly awry, and that's unusual but pleasant change-of-pace.

    The rest of the characters are somewhat thinner.  Rald and Ika seem to exist only to set the standard for civilized depravity.  Klay has the misfortune to be Tagart's rival.  And don't trust any of the women.

    The ending is well thought-out, and has a kewl twist.  It resolves the main issues and leaves some loose ends for a sequel.  But ANAICT, Book 3, The Earth Goddess, starts a generation later, which would seem to leave those loose ends (e.g., Rald and Ika) dangling.  We shall see.

Kewlest New Word...
Eyot : a small island in the middle of a river (a Britishism)

Excerpts...
    "Who is the man?"
    "Just a slave."
    "Why is he being beaten?"
    "The overseers say he tried to escape."
    "And did he?"
    "He will not work.  In the mines he causes only trouble.  It is salutary to the others to provide an escapee now and then."  (loc. 35)

    There were over a hundred villages, stretching seventy miles along the coast and up to twenty miles inland.  Some were prosperous, with palisaded compounds, wood and stone houses, granaries; most were squalid collections of huts whose inhabitants lived in constant fear of starvation.  Over the centuries these people had come to the island country to escape oppression in the homelands: it was important to ensure that things did not get so bad that any were tempted to return.  It was important, too, to allow them a measure of hope, for this was a most effective stimulant to hard work.  (loc. 1195)

Kindle Details...
    Amazon sells The Flint Lord for $2.99; same price for The Earth Goddess.  The first book, The Stone Arrow, is a freebie, which is how I got hooked into reading this series.  I consider this a most effective marketing ploy.

"Who is there with strength to carry the mace?"  (loc. 642)
    Story-wise, The Stone Arrow is good; but The Flint Lord is better.  Historical Fiction-wise, the opposite is true.  There are a signficant number of anachronisms in this book - maps, charts, longbows (!), catapults (!!), paper cones (think megaphones), dog sleds, etc.  At least there were no candles.

    I suspect Richard Herley consciously sacrified historical accuracy for the sake of stoty-telling.  I doubt there were a lot of variations in 3000 BC when it came to weaponry, furnishings, tools, etc.

    So enjoy The Flint Lord as a fine action-adventure story, replete with brutality, bloodshed, and a bit of kinky sex.  All the forces involved have difficulties to face, and you will be challenged to guess their outcomes.  8 Stars; a bit less if you're a Historical Fiction purist.

Defend and Betray - Anne Perry

    1992; 428 pages.  Book #3 (out of 17) in the "William Monk" series.  New Author? : No.  Genre : Crime Fiction.  Overall Rating : 8*/10.

    Oh my!  Someone has pushed General Thaddeus Carlyon over the banister at the top of the stairs and right down onto a suit of armor (see bookcover).  And with that halberd sticking up in the air.  Fortunately, all that did was daze him.  Until the murderer came downstairs, picked up the halberd, and buried it in his chest.

    Who would do such a dastardly deed?  His wife, that's who. She's confessed to the killing, and said she did it because he was having an affair.

    It's all cut and dried.  Why would anyone think otherwise?  That's what Investigator William Monk wants to find out.

What's To Like...
    There are three "stars" here : Investigator Monk, the barrister Oliver Rathbone, and nurse Hester Latterly.  They all share equal billing, and yet they all have their limitations.  Monk is shrewd, but he's impatient and surly when questioning people - not a good way to get them to talk.  Rathbone seems brilliant - until you meet his father.   And Hester is probably the sharpest of the three, but this is 1857 Victorian England, and women are expected to not be sharp.

    Defend and Betray has a "cozy" start - the murder and confession have already taken place as the book opens.  That's means there's little if any action, and a lot of telling-not-showing as first Rathbone, then Monk, and in some cases also Hester, question each suspect.  You may be tempted to put the book down about halfway through.

    That would be a mistake.  The story builds to the stunning climax, Mrs. Carlyon's trial, and confessed murderess or no, Anne Perry chronicles that whole proceeding with a powerful pen.  It may or may not be realistic (I have no idea what would or would not be allowed in a Victorian courtroom), but the ending will move you.

Kewlest New Word...
Discommoded : inconvenienced; put to trouble.

Excerpts...
    He was normally somewhat nervous of women, having spent most of his life in the company of men and having been taught that the gentle sex was different in every respect, requiring treatment incomprehensible to any but the most sensitive of men.  He was delighted to find Hester intelligent, not given to fainting or taking offense where it was not intended, not seeking compliments at every turn, never giggling, and best of all, quite interested in military tactics, a blessing he could hardly believe.  (pg. 11)

    "I am a servant, Mr. Lovat-Smith," she replied with dignity.  "We have a peculiar position - not quite people, not quite furniture.  We are often party to extraordinary scenes because we are ignored in the house, as if we had not eyes or brains.  People do not mind us knowing things, seeing things they would be mortified to have their friends see." (pg. 398)

"Death is often absurd.  People are absurd.  I am!"  (pg. 27)
    D&B is not really a whodunit; it's more of a whydunit.  And on a deeper level, Anne Perry asks an unsettling question - are there times when embarrassing family secrets should be kept secret?  If someone is willing to sacrifice her life to protect innocent victims from public humiliation, is it better to stand back, remain silent, and let her take the fall?

    The last third of the book more than compensates for the rather pedestrian pace of the first part. You will find Defend and Betray to be a riveting read.  But only if you finish it.  8 Stars.

The Wind From Miilark - M. Edward McNally

    2011; 313 pages.  Book #3 in the Norothian Cycle series.  Genre : Epic Fantasy.  New Author? : No.  Overall Rating : 8½*/10.

    House Deskata is no more; John Deskata has arrived too late to lay claim to its throne.  Not that it would have made much difference, since he was banished from Miilark long ago.  He only came back for his Law Sister, Rhianne.  And to swear an Ukumir - a blood vengeance - against House Lokendah, a rival that profited greatly from the seizing of the Deskata assets.

What's To Like...
  The Wind From Miilark introduces several new characters (Rhianne, Yu Pao, Gonderick) and some new species (gnolls, kobolds, a full elf, and 199 Miclantpal).  For a change, there is only one storyline, and its timeline, at least the start of it, parallels that of Book #2.  Basically we find out what John Deskata is up to while the rest of the gang defends Chengdea.

    M. Edward McNally "broadens" the world still more, by bringing a number of new nations into the saga.  And I finally have some idea of where the Miilarkian Isles are located - way the heck west of the Norothian Channel, methinks. 

    For fans of the "old gang", Tilda, Zeb, and Phin show up about halfway through the book, and Brother Heggenauer makes a cameo appearance at the end.  There is enough action sown throughout to keep your attention, which helps when sailing on the boundless main with John and Rhianne.  The ending has a great twist which, in retrospect, I should've seen coming.

Kewlest New Word...
Geas (singular) : an obligation or prohibition magically imposed on someone (Irish folklore).

Excerpts...
    Yu Pao's face clouded.  "What I was actually looking for was something along the lines of a history, but Mr. Beecha'osi's account was far more...narrative."
    "That is typical of a Miilarkian travelogue.  They can provide a wealth of information about a land or culture, though it is generally secondary to the telling of a story."
    "A story of boundless financial and sexual conquest," Yu Pao said with a neutral inflection that nearly made Rhianne chuckle.
    "I am afraid that too is typical of the genre.  Miilarkians rarely travel without a goal in mind."  (loc. 914)

    "And you think that this 'return' of Vod'Adia is the sign of something larger on the way.  Would that be a large good thing, or a large bad thing?"
    "Have you ever heard of a prophecy that foretold something good?" Tilda asked him.  "It's always plague and pestilence and toads raining from the sky.  There is never a prophecy about the coming of a gentle breeze, or a perfect pair of boots."
    "Pair of boots?" Phin asked.
    "Apparently it is a female thing, I don't understand it either," Zeb told him.  (loc.3167)

Kindle Details...
    I bought The Wind From Miilark for $4.99 at Amazon, the same price as Book 2, Death of a Kingdom.  The first book, The Sable City, is only $2.99, and you really ought to read these in order.

"I had lunch today with the man who is going to kill me,"  (loc. 1995)
     For me, TWFM was darker than the first two books, primarily because John's future is quite grim.  House Lokendah is a powerful, energetic, and resourceful enemy.  Cross their path and die.

    Nonetheless, there is still ample wit and humor.  Zeb can always be counted on to lighten the mood, and Phinneas seems to attract absurdity.  The reason for his being expelled (literally) from the Great Library is hilarious.  I enjoyed meeting the librarian, even if he isn't an orangutan.

    The Wind From Millark has the same structure as the earlier books - steadily-building tension, adventure throughout, and a quest that you might still be trying to discern even when halfway through the book.  Not to worry; it's fun to tag along with our plucky heroes, and once again, the main plotline resolves itself nicely.

    Best of all, the final section hints at bigger, better, and badder things to come. Fantasy is nice.  Epic Fantasy is a delight.  8½ Stars.

The Defiant Agents - Andre Norton

1962; 222 pages.  Book #3 of the Time Traders series.  New Author? : No.  Genre : 50's Science Fiction.  Overall Rating : 7½*/10.

    There is something important - something powerful - on the distant planet Topaz, the records of the ancient star-travelers say so.  We need to find it and take possesion of it fast, before the Russians do.  But conditions on Topaz are harsh and geeky scientists and technicians have poor survival skills.  So let's Apachify them before shipping them out.

    Alas, the Russkies got there first, and their crew has been Mongolized.  Spirit of Cochise, meet Spirit of Genghis Khan!

What's To Like...
    The "Apachifying" process is a unique twist, which Andre Norton calls "the Redax".  Basically, it's the imprinting of 1800's Apache knowledge and instincts into  modern-day brains.  You end up a little bit schizophrenic, but you can live off the land and are one heckuva fighter.  Two coyotes are also given the Redax treatment, making them beastmaster kewl.

    It seems Norton did a lot of research in prepping for this book - the Apache gods, phrases, and culture are convincing.  There's space-travel instead of time-travel,  and we get lots of action, an alien planet to explore, some nasty otherworldly fauna, and a good ending.  The characters aren't deep (this is 50's Sci-Fi, after all), but the two opposing sides are complex, with neither one being all-good or all-bad.

Kewlest New Word...
    Kumiss : a drink common among the Mongols, made from fermented mare's milk.

Excerpts...
    (T)he male coyote went into action.  Days ago he had managed to work loose the lower end of the mesh which fronted his cage, but his mind had told him that a sortie inside the ship was valueless.  The odd rapport he'd had with the human brains, unknown to them, had operated to keep him to the old role of cunning deception, which in the past had saved countless of his species from sudden and violent death.  Now with teeth and paws he went diligently to work, urged on by the whines of his mate, that tantalizing smell of an outside world tickling their nostrils - a wild world, lacking the taint of man-places.  (loc. 249)

    They thrust her out into the circle of waiting men and she planted her feet firmly apart, glaring at them all indiscriminately until she sighted Travis.  Then her anger became hotter and more deadly.
    "Pig!  Rooter in the dirt!  Diseased camel -" she shouted at him in English and then reverted to her own tongue, her voice riding up and down the scale.  Her hands were tied behind her back, but there were no bonds on her tongue.
    "This is one who can speak thunders, and shoot lightnings from her mouth," Buck commented in Apache.  "Put her well away from the wood, lest she set it aflame."  (loc. 1934)

Kindle Details...
    You can pay anything from $0.00 to $3.99 for the Kindle version of The Defiant Agents.  Needless to say, I opted for the freebie.  It looks like a number of Andre Norton books are now public domain, although only a few have been Kindle-ized so far.

Was the enemy always on the other side of the world?  Or could he wear the same uniform, even share the same goals?  (loc. 102)
    The Defiant Agents was published in 1962, which is important for two reasons.  First, it means the target audience was young, teen-age boys.  As such, there's no sex, no cussing, a straighforward plotline, and only a hint of romance.  Second, this was at the height of the Cold War.  Russia was The Enemy, and prudent people built fall-out shelters in their backyards.

    Given that mind-set, Andre Norton sneaks some powerful-yet-subtle messages into her story.  First, we may be the good guys, but we're not much different from the bad guys.  Second, our leaders can fool us, just like the Russian leaders fool their people.  Third, you really can't trust anybody with the possession of WMD's.

    7½ Stars.  Because it will entertain young minds while also giving them lots to think about.

Tourist Season - Carl Hiaasen

1986; 378 pages.  Genre : Florida Crime Noir.  New Author? : No.  Overall Rating : 7½*/10.

    Florida is overcrowded.  Too many tourists and convention-goers come every year, to say nothing of the slew of geezers who have retired here permanently for the year-round sunshine.  Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce, swamps are being drained and artificial islands created, all to lure more visitors.

    Someone ought to persuade all the interlopers to stay away or move back north.  The alternative is to simply start killing them off.  Come to think of it, the latter might just bring about the former.

What's To Like...
    Tourist Season was published in 1986, 15 years before 9/11, when terrorists could still be portrayed as something other than utterly evil fanatics.  Here, the group is called Las Noches de Diciembre (The Nights of December) and they are inept, committed, funny, and ruthless.

    The protagonist is Brian Keyes, a PI who used to be a journalist.  He's got strings to pull at both the newspapers and the Miami PD, and he somehow makes women want to go to bed with him.  Besides trying to stop LNdD, he has to bodyguard Kara Lynn Shivers, this year's Orange Bowl Queen.   Kara's a much stronger character than your stereotypical bikini-beauty-bimbo.

    What's really kewl about Tourist Season is the equal treatment Carl Hiaasen gives to both the terrorists and the good guys.  Yes, LNdD are a bunch of psychopathic losers, but at least they have a noble cause.  Kinda.  You might even find yourself pulling for Pavlov, the trained crocodile.  (Do not call him an alligator!).

Kewlest New Word...
Insouciance : having or showing freedom from worries or trouble.

Excerpts...
    It was two years ago that Jenna had dumped him for Wiley - Wiley, of all people!  Why couldn't it have been an artist, or a concert musician, or some anorexic-looking poet from the Grove?  Anyone but Skip Wiley - and right in the bitter worst of the Callie Davenport business.  What a couple: Jenna, who adored Godunov and Bergman; and Wiley, who once launched a write-in campaign to get Marilyn Chambers an Oscar.  (pg. 61)

    The kennel club bomb actually was a small land mine, a rudimentary imitation claymore, which Jesus Bernal had buried on the second turn of the track.  The greyhound that triggered the mine was a speedy dam named Blistered Sister who went off at 20-to-1.  Literally.  One second there were eight lank dogs churning along the rail, and the next they were airborne, inside-out.  It was a mess.  The blast took out a sixty-foot stretch of racetrack and disrupted betting for hours.  Blistered Sister, whose brindle carcass landed closest to the finish wire, was ruled the winner...   (pgs. 177-78)

"Strangled to death is redundant, doesn't he know that?" (pg. 106)
    Tourist Season made me laugh. and that's always a plus.  It was Carl Hiaasen's debut novel, and not surprisingly, it seems a bit uneven.  Some of the deaths are given in gory detail, others are curiously sanitized.  The struggle between the good guys and the bad guys is spotlighted throughout the length of the book, yet the ending itself dangles.

    On a deeper level, though, Tourist Season is Carl Hiaasen's commentary on the state of the State of Florida - the urbanization, the eco-wrecking, and the loss of heritage.  In that regard, the book succeeds nicely.  7½ Stars, and Floridans can add another 1½ stars for topicality.