Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

(Originally posted in 2013)

Wowzer! Awesome! etc. etc.

OK, anybody that has read any of my previous reviews of Sanderson's work knows just how much I admire his writing. I've really run out of superlatives to describe his work, both the quality of it and the sheer amount of output he generates. I don't know of any other human on the planet that can write/publish so many books and sustain such high quality. He is simply amazing.

This novel is, of course, no exception. From the very first page, I was absorbed in this new world Sanderson has created. Yes, it's a young adult novel, but the only reason to classify it as such is that the main character, David, is 18 years old. But in every other way, this is a main-stream novel, filled with violence, action, and thought-provoking characters. In essence, this could be called a "super-hero" novel (mostly evil super-heroes) so I suppose that's another reason to classify it as YA. And we are treated to some inner thoughts from David that testify to his late-teenage attitudes towards others and self doubt. But I found them to be very true to the nature of the character, and essential to the plot.

The story takes place here on approximately present-day Earth, about ten years after an unexplained burst in the sky (subsequently referred to as 'Calamity') caused the appearance of 'Epics'. Epics are humans that have abilities, amazing superhero-like powers, and tend to use them for personal gain and power. They are so powerful that nobody fights them. Nobody except the 'Reckoners'. Epics are essentially bullies (bullies with incredible destructive power) but each one has a weakness, and thus can be fought by ordinary folks like us.

OK, that sounds like a plot for a YA novel for boys age 10-14. But I say 'Nay, friend.' This is a novel for all of us. The plot is only the superficial top layering of this 17-layer cake and, believe me friends, this cake has a lot of delicious calories. Sanderson is known for his unique, complex magic systems that he constructs for his novels. So, of course, the system that he has built for superheroes is equally complex and interdependent. He doesn't just come up with weird cool powers and sprinkle superheroes around. Epics' powers work the way they work for a reason and discovering just how they relate to each other is pure fun. And all through this novel (as well as in future novels in this series), we learn more and more about just how well thought out this system is.  

All of that stuff makes for fun reading and good movie entertainment but it's the characters that allow a story to rise to the top and be memorable for months and years afterwards. The core group of characters in this book are multidimensional and each one is intriguing. They are a delight to read about. I cared about each and every one, their roles, their fates. And, due to the high stakes action in this book, their fates are far from certain. Surprises await the reader at every turn; it definitely keeps the pages turning.

So, once again, my hat is off to Mr Sanderson. This is the first book of what is sure to be a great series. And although the main plot does conclude in this one book, it serves as a gateway to many more awesome books to come. 

The Senior Girls Bayonet Drill Team & Other Stories by Joe R. Lansdale

Joe R. Lansdale has always been one of my go-to authors when I need something “different.” In this book, he mentions that he likes writing both novels and short stories but if he had to choose, he would write only short stories. His love for the form is on full display here and this collection offers some of his best.

Contrary to other reviews I’ve seen for this book, these are not all new stories. Most, according to the information at the back of the book, details where and when the stories first appeared. They range from horror ‘zines like “Fangoria” to popular anthologies to fairly obscure places like “Ferrari Magazine”. Quite a few, including the titular story, were originally published in various anthologies edited by Lawrence Block, which is where I first encountered them. Almost all the stories originated in the last five years.

As for the stories themselves, they vary widely in subject matter, scope, and from serious to silly. Some are gruesome horror pieces, some are intense crime stories, while others can best be described as fables. It’s hard for me to pick favorites but I think I’ll go with the weird westerns due to my own love for that sub-genre. By the way, I owe that love to Joe Lansdale who was among the first writers to delve into such tales back in the 1980s when such stories were still rare. As with any anthology, I enjoyed some of these stories more than others, but I can honestly say, there isn’t a stinker in the bunch. 

Lansdale fans will love this collection from Subterranean Press while those looking for a nice variety of high-quality, thoroughly enjoyable stories should absolutely check it out. It is due to be published in January, 2024.

Covenant with the Vampire by Jeanne Kalogridis

I’ve tended to shy away from vampire fiction in recent years although I am a huge fan of the original Dracula by Bram Stoker and stories that take place in a similar vein (no pun intended). In other words, I enjoy the historical fiction aspects of Dracula, vampire lore, etc. much more so than the blood/guts, sexual innuendo/love triangles etc. that seem so common today.

This novel is the first of a trilogy and fits my preferences very well. It takes place over the course of just a few weeks in 1845, which is actually about 50 years before the Dracula story occurs. It’s told from the first person POV of three separate individuals, Arkady Tsepesh, his young (and pregnant) bride Mary, and his sister, Zsuzsanna Tsepesh. It is through their detailed diary entries that the entire novel is presented and that method works very well for it allows the reader to access their innermost thoughts when they are confronted with evidence of the impossible. It also allows the characters to sneak in and read the others' diaries to gain a better foothold on what is happening (and convince themselves that they aren't going mad). 

The story takes a deep dive into the history of Vlad Dracul and the family tree as Arkady returns from England to his Carpathian home to bury his deceased father. But it is his uncle Vlad that begins the real horror of the story as it becomes evident who he really is. The pact or covenant that the family Dracul has with the local village population to protect them from the strigoi also plays center stage. What follows is pure vampire horror in the traditional gothic horror style as Arkady and his loving wife struggle in a war for their very souls.

I liked the writing style of the novel as it is very similar to the original Stoker style, reading like Victorian age literature. It drips with authenticity and while I am certainly no expert on all things Transylvanian, the language, the visual tapestry that the words paint, the place names and family names…it all seems perfect. The ending, to me, seemed a little abrupt as a very long build-up nose-dived off the cliff to a very quick conclusion. I would have preferred a little more meat to this part but, perhaps that is just me wishing the book wasn’t over yet. Nevertheless, it does set up the second book and the very real possibility that the plot may move to England.

I will eagerly turn my attention to the next two books of the trilogy.

The Living Dead - Edited by John Joseph Adams

For zombie literature neophytes, this is an excellent place to start because reading these stories can make one realize there are far more ways to think about zombies than what you may have experienced from George Romero or The Walking Dead. 

John Joseph Adams, as usual has put together a good mix of tales here.  Many are what I would term “literary” while others are heavier on action or the fear factor.  Like most anthologies, some stories are better than others but each one belongs here and serves to round out the sub-sub-genre of zombie horror.  Major authors like Stephen King, Clive Barker, Dan Simmons, Laurell K. Hamilton, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, and George RR Martin offer stories in this anthology but for my money, I tended to prefer the entries by those authors that were new to me.  There are a total of 34 stories included and it is difficult to name my favorites but among them are “This Year’s Class Picture” by Dan Simmons, “Followed” by Will McIntosh, and “How the Day Runs Down” by John Langan.

I read these stories at the rate of one per week, early on Saturday mornings before the rest of my family gets up which is always a good time for me to really get into a story.  I think if I had read one right after another, it would have grown tiresome pretty quickly.  For me this sort of story is best enjoyed in small doses. 

Overall a fairly nice collection of zombie fiction, especially if you prefer a more philosophical approach to the apocalypse. 

West of Dodge - A Western Anthology from Saddlebag Dispatches Magazine

Full Disclosure: I have a story ("Vigilance Committee") published in this volume. My review is based on the entire anthology, taken as a whole.

Saddlebag Dispatches has been publishing western-themed magazines since 2014 and has racked up numerous accolades for the quality of their content, both fiction and non-fiction. For many, it has become the go-to source for up-to-date information on all things western. Happily, they've decided to expand their frontiers by publishing a series of western fiction short-story anthologies. This very first one, published this summer of 2023, features the theme of Dodge City, coinciding with the Summer 2023 edition of the magazine. Future themed anthologies are planned for every six months.

West of Dodge contains short stories from 20 contemporary authors, ranging from vastly experienced writers such as Dusty Richards and Velda Brotherton to the neophyte author. Having read them all, I can honestly say that it's difficult to tell which ones are which.

As expected, several stories take place in Dodge City itself, featuring different time periods in that town's turbulent history. Often, we come across historical characters from Wyatt Earp to Charlie Bassett but more often the stories are about regular folks faced with difficult, if not insurmountable circumstances. Many of the stories do not, however take place in Dodge City but rather roam across the West, fulfilling the title's promise, "West of Dodge". These 20 stories provide a full range of styles, but I can honestly say I enjoyed every one of them. As I do for most anthologies, I chose to read one of these stories between each novel, letting them act as a sort of pallet cleanser. That also keeps these stories fresh for me.

It's great to see new Western-themed anthologies being published once again. This one certainly deserves your further attention.

Rattler's Law - Volume Two by James Reasoner

A couple of years ago I was introduced to a volume of eight western novels featuring the character of Lucas Flint, newly arrived marshal of Abilene Kansas, and known as “The Rattler” for his lightning-fast draw. Those eight books proved to be a rich tapestry of interrelated yarns encompassing an entire cast of towns people including deputies, saloon owners, church leaders, schoolteachers, a female doctor, and assorted others. Much like a long-running television series of yesteryear, new arrivals populate each story, like guest stars if you will. Some are hard-working honest folks looking for a better life while others are seeking fortune of a different kind and don’t care about how they get it. Those eight books were wonderful reads and taken together formed a real saga of western life during those times.

I knew there was a second volume to be had, another eight novels that carried on that saga and it has been at the top of my TBR list ever since. This year, I tackled it, choosing to read one story every month or thereabouts in order to stretch out the experience. Alas, today, I find myself in early September, and have just turned the page on the final story. It’s bittersweet to be honest. These stories are every bit as good as the first volume and maybe even a little more interconnected. It was a true joy to revisit the characters and see them respond to new threats and opportunities. But, at least as of this writing, there are no more.

This volume sees the rise of a dastardly villain, Jason Kent, whose far-reaching plots are the stuff of real conflict. His villainy lasts through many of these stories, and one begins to wonder if he’ll ever meet his match. Author James Reasoner writes multi-dimensional characters even if that means showing vulnerabilities and, in this series, Lucas Flint doesn’t always come out on top. Many of the stories see other characters take center stage and ultimately are the ones to see justice served although Flint’s guiding hand is always present. But in the end, it is the ensemble cast that makes these books work so well.

Those readers looking for an “adult” western need to look elsewhere but those wanting a good story with well-drawn characters, traditional western style, plenty of action, and interesting plots need look no further.

I hope for more of these books someday but will not hold my breath. With sixteen books available over two collections, I can easily go back and dip into them now and again and relish the experience of this delightful series once again. Highly recommended.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

At the borders of the empire, contagions are abundant, and leviathans threaten the outer rings. The blood of those same leviathans is a key ingredient in magically transforming people to grant powerful abilities. Dinios “Din” Kol is one of those fortunate enough to have been altered. Due to his extremely enhanced memory skills, he has become an “engraver” and these skills are perfect in his role as a new assistant to Ana Dolabra, perhaps, the greatest living detective. And now that the body of a high-level magistrate has been found, murdered by means of aggressive plants exploding from inside his body, Ana and Din have been assigned the case.

While Ana brings her genius for detective sleuthing, she is also an eccentric who prefers to wear a blindfold most of the time so as to not let her vision interrupt her thinking. Din’s perfect memory is ideal for interrogating suspects and witnesses and is able to “play-back” the facts verbatim if required. Useful in discovering discrepancies, to be sure. The murder mystery is off and running, despite the fact that both Ana and Din have secrets of their own.

Author Robert Jackson Bennett has proven many times before that he is a master at building original fantasy worlds, demonstrating in-depth world-building with all the trappings you’d hope for. This first novel in a new series proves it once again. This is a rich world, with unusual circumstances, cultures, and motivations. The reader is plunged into the middle of it all, but Bennett is adept at providing the knowledge necessary for understanding without resorting to massive info dumps that bog down the plot.

Many reviewers compare the mystery elements of this novel to a Sherlock Holmes/Watson experience, but I think a much better analogy are the works of Rex Stout. Here, Din is the fact finder, the one who goes out and about gathering evidence much like Archie Goodwin. We get most of the story from his perspective. Ana, like Nero Wolfe, largely remains behind and waits for the information to come in where she then analyzes, deduces, and brings her genius to bear.

The entire novel moves along swiftly as more deaths occur, and the danger level rises. Din discovers more about himself but his anxiety over his secret threatens to overwhelm him. I loved discovering new abilities in other characters, engineered enhancements like strength, amazing math skills, and another that I shall not divulge for fear of spoilers. There are numerous characters from all walks of life thrown into the mix and like many fantasy novels, the names are not common to our experience and can be tough to keep track of. This is “smart” fantasy to be sure, neither a D&D adventure nor a Hercule Poirot murder mystery. No matter what you call it, it is exceptional, and certainly a fun read. I look forward to the next book in the series, not only for another complex murder mystery but also to learn more of this unique world.

Highly recommended.

Callback for a Corpse by Teel James Glenn

Moxie Donovan is a freelance reporter and movie studio promotion specialist in 1930’s Hollywood. He’s married to a beautiful up-and-coming red-headed actress named Maxie. After the murder of one of Moxie’s sources, they find themselves embroiled in an old-fashioned whodunnit. Fortunately, they are able to move in the circles of the Hollywood movers and shakers but when further murders occur, they begin to wonder if they are in over their heads.

I’ve always been a sucker for early Hollywood mysteries, especially those involving a wise-cracking protagonist. So, I was prone to like this one coming in. It’s my first novel by this author but I can happily report he certainly turned in a fun and engaging story here. Moxie is the lead character and, indeed, the story is told through his first-person narration. He doesn’t shy away from shining the spotlight on his own foibles but his love for his beautiful bride, Maxi, doesn’t take a back seat to anyone, even when Moxie finds himself amidst many a beautiful starlet.

The author unleashes his extensive knowledge of early Hollywood and how it worked. He also sprinkles in a lot of cameos from real people, including Bela Lugosi, newly-minted Roy Rodgers, and many others that were less familiar to me. The dialog is snappy and energetic. Moxie, in many ways reminds me of characters such as Shell Scott, getting themselves into the deep end but always with a verbal comeback as sharp as a razorblade.

Looking forward to reading more in this series from the good folks at Bold Venture Press.

Doc Savage - The Infernal Buddha by Kenneth Robeson (Will Murray)

Will Murray does it again with this installment of Doc Savage’s continuing adventures. This time Doc’s team only includes Monk, Ham, and Renny along with Doc himself as they find themselves drawn into an adventure in the South Seas. Seems there is a Buddah-shaped artifact of some kind, possibly delivered to Earth in a meteor, that has the horrific effect of sucking the moisture out of everything nearby.  Living beings are reduced to dried husks in seconds. It is not known if there are any limits so, theoretically, if this thing were to be unleashed ala Pandora’s Box, it might well suck up all water on the planet.

Definitely a job for Doc Savage!

This was another wonderful adventure from the pen of Will Murray. Probably my favorite of his that I’ve read so far even though he is content to let the science behind the artifact remain vague. The adventure takes them among 1940’s era Malay pirates and we even get to see Doc going undercover as a swashbuckling scourge of the South Seas pirate captain himself. Awesome! But at the same time, the terrible nature of the artifact leads Doc to one of his most challenging adventures ever. Rarely have I seen Doc so vulnerable and even unsure of himself as he confesses to have been in the final pages. This brings an extra edge to the story; it’s just not good to have a completely invulnerable hero.

Good setting, good characters for Doc and team to work with (or against), a good peril to be dealt with, and a good plot with plenty of action that keeps the pages turning. Everything I want in a Doc Savage yarn.

Faceoff - Edited by David Baldacci

Back in 2013/14, the International Thriller Writers came up with a way to earn money to finance their organization and eliminate dues from members. The result is this first anthology of eleven stories, written by 23 world-class thriller writers for zero compensation. All proceeds of the sale of this book go directly to support the activities of ITW. The idea must have worked because they followed up with MatchUp in 2017.

It’s a cool idea. Each story pairs up two iconic characters from different series. Even though the title is “Faceoff”, they tend to work together during the story, almost always coming away with a healthy respect for the other. That’s good because I would hate to read a story where Repairman Jack actually works against Jack Reacher, for example.

I’ve read most of these authors and feel like I know the characters well. The few I hadn’t read…well, of course now I want to read them too. Most were pretty good tales although a couple of times the plot just to get the two characters to meet each other in the first place was a little too contrived. I listened to this one on audio while driving on a lengthy road trip this past week and the format worked well. Just one story or two at a time depending on what I was in the mood for. David Baldacci served as editor for the book and also read the introductions to each story for the audio version.

For completeness, here is a list of the stories, characters, and authors included in the book:

1) Harry Bosch vs. Patrick Kenzie in “Red Eye,” by Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane

2) John Rebus vs. Roy Grace in “In the Nick of Time,” by Ian Rankin and Peter James

3) Slappy the Ventriloquist Dummy vs. Aloysius Pendergast in “Gaslighted,” by R.L. Stine, Douglas Preston, and Lincoln Child

4) Malachai Samuels vs. D.D. Warren in “The Laughing Buddha,” by M.J. Rose and Lisa Gardner

5) Paul Madriani vs. Alexandra Cooper in “Surfing the Panther,” by Steve Martini and Linda Fairstein

6) Lincoln Rhyme vs. Lucas Davenport in “Rhymes With Prey,” by Jeffery Deaver and John Sandford

7) Michael Quinn vs. Repairman Jack in “Infernal Night,” by Heather Graham and F. Paul Wilson

8) Sean Reilly vs. Glen Garber in “Pit Stop,” by Raymond Khoury and Linwood Barclay

9) Wyatt Hunt vs. Joe Trona in “Silent Hunt,” by John Lescroart and T. Jefferson Parker

10) Cotton Malone vs. Gray Pierce in “The Devil’s Bones,” by Steve Berry and James Rollins

11) Jack Reacher vs. Nick Heller in “Good and Valuable Consideration,” by Lee Child and Joseph Finder

The Jericho Iteration by Allen Steele

In the year 2012, a huge earthquake destroyed much of the Midwest United States.  Now, a year later, the city of St Louis is trying to come back from the brink of extinction and the heavy-handed Emergency Relief Agency carries out their tasks utilizing martial law. Gerry Rosen is an investigative reporter who finds himself chasing after a big story but not quite sure where it will lead. What he does know is that people around him are getting killed and it all involves a mysterious something with a code name, Ruby Fulcrum. As he follows the trail and becomes a fugitive himself, Gerry uncovers a conspiracy of monumental proportions involving the federal government and artificial intelligence.

It sounds like a techno-thriller and, indeed, that’s the way this novel reads. However, it is actually science fiction, having been published in 1994 and with the setting being the “near future” of 2013. Reading it now is much like reading a contemporary thriller albeit with a few twists where the author’s guesstimate of then-current trends would lead. I confess that part of the fun I had reading this novel was being spoon-fed those little tidbits that turned out to be mostly incorrect. But even though CompuServe and Commodore did not last to be the tech mega-companies that they are in the book, and neither did we concern ourselves with fax machines and long-distance rates in 2013, all that really doesn’t matter. The fact that the states of Oregon and Washington succeeded from the US and became the country of “Cascadia” however, is integral to the plot and so the book, in fact, becomes a bit more like reading a sci-fi thriller.

This book is quite a bit different than most of Allen Steele’s more space-adventure works but his fans will still appreciate his tight prose, quality characterization and tech-savvy climactic scenes. Another good one from Mr. Steele.

The Green Hornet Casefiles - Edited by Joe Gentile & Win Scott Eckert

Moonstone Books has been putting out some fun and interesting anthologies for quite a while now. After reading the first Green Hornet anthology last year I knew I wanted more of the same, so this second collection has filled my need nicely. There are 18 stories included here as well as a nice introduction by Green Hornet comics writer Ron Fortier.

Authors include both editors, Joe Gentile and Win Scott Eckert as well as Deborah Chester, Bobby Nash, Bradley Sinor, Paul Storrie, John Everson, Eric Fein, Howard Hopkins (Lance Howard), Joe McKinney and more. Many of these authors are long-time contributors to the comic industry in one form or another but they all share a healthy respect for Green Hornet lore, as evidenced by their work here. Of course, as with most anthologies there were a couple of duds but on the whole, I am very pleased with this collection.

As always, I tend to read one short story between each novel so it will take me a few weeks to go through a volume of this many stories. But it serves well as a palate cleanser and keeps them from being in any way repetitive. Thankfully, there is a third volume out which I already own so I look forward to devouring that as well, sooner rather than later.

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

In the days following the disappearance of both Sherlock Homes and Professor James Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, a new criminal mastermind has come on the scene. Clarence Devereux, a crime boss from America has decided to take over Moriarty’s criminal empire, filling the void. On his trail is a senior Pinkerton investigator by the name of Frederick Chase who joins forces with a Scotland Yard detective named Athelney Jones.

Interestingly, Jones appeared in the Holmes story, The Sign of the Four, but felt he came off in a bad light. Consequently, he has devoted the last several years of his professional life to studying the methods and techniques of Sherlock, himself, and so he now is quite good at the deductive reasoning approach.

This was a wonderful detective yarn, filled with great characters, a Sherlockian-style London atmosphere, and an evil menacing plot. It was like reading a Sherlock Holmes story even though Holmes wasn't in it. Our two protagonists, Jones and Chase fill the roles of Holmes and Watson admirably although neither quite meets the mold of their role models. There are also a number of other Sherlockian characters and references from Conan Doyles’ stories that show up including from ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Red-Headed League’.

There is a huge twist at the end and even though I’ve read Horowitz before and even though I suspected not all was as it seemed, I was still caught up in a “Holy Cow” moment when it happened. It is important to note that this is an “fair-play” mystery, meaning it doesn’t cheat the reader out of any clues. All is there to be worked out on your own…it’s just that I had it figured wrong.

Yet another wonderful read from one of my top 5 authors of all genres. I’m glad he is so prolific because I want to keep reading his work for many years to come.

Dead Stick (Lucas Hallam #2) by L.J. Washburn

A couple of months ago, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Livia Washburn’s first book in the Lucas Hallam series, Wild Night. I knew I would return to the character and series soon and so I’ve made it a point to do so. There’s something about early Hollywood, the Prohibition era, and detectives that always stirs my soul and it doesn’t hurt when you have a high-quality writer behind the story.

This second novel is, I believe, even better than the first. Lucas, former Texas Ranger and current private detective (in addition to working as a stuntman/extra in western movies) is hired by a studio to determine what is behind some recent sabotage. It seems somebody doesn’t want the latest picture to be complete, perhaps because of the subject matter as evident in its title: “Death to the Kaiser!” The incidents of sabotage have gotten worse and may be aimed at one of the stunt pilots who just happens to be a former WW1 German ace.  But when a young pilot is killed, Lucas knows the stakes are high and the culprit(s) must be brought to justice. 

As in the first novel, this one seamlessly meshes the detective genre with that of a western novel. Lucas is an old cowboy and lives up to the high standards of hard, honest work while standing firm in the face of danger. A side plot surrounds his evolving relationship with his main squeeze, but Lucas gets the distinct feeling that may be headed in the wrong direction.

Looking forward to book number three.

Glorious (Cash McLendon #1) by Jeff Guinn

I’ve been a fan of Jeff Guinn’s non-fiction work ever since I read Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, his informative and exceedingly readable account of the Barrow Gang. When I saw he had written a couple of western fiction tales I wanted to try them so now I have.

If this first one is a true indicator of the rest of the series, I can emphatically say, I will be reading every book in the series, and any other fiction he decides to produce in the future. Jeff Guinn is a knowledgeable guy, a researcher extraordinaire with the nonfiction credits to prove it. It certainly shows up in his fiction as well. While the town of Glorious, Arizona is fictional it bears all the markings of a wannabe silver mining bonanza town. They haven’t struck silver yet, but the handful of town founders have put everything in their hopes and dreams.

The plot features Cash McLendon, a man on the run who makes the journey from St. Louis to Glorious, AZ Territory in 1872, chasing after a girl, a lost love. We’re not sure what he is running from in the opening pages, but we do get a nice flashback sequence later on that thoroughly grounds him in our hearts and minds. When he arrives in Glorious, he meets an oddball bunch of characters, and it is clear he doesn’t belong there. A true fish out of water, Cash has never held a gun or ridden a horse, but he does have that sense of stick-to-itiveness that is characteristic of the people of the West. As the novel unfolds, Cash, as well as us readers, come to love these townspeople and all their foibles. So, when the danger comes in the form of a prosperous power-hungry rancher intent on becoming lord of the territory and all its potential silver deposits, we genuinely fear for the townspeople’s futures.

I really enjoyed this one. Unlike many of today’s readers, I read a lot of westerns and have experienced the entire range of the genre, from literary masterpieces like Lonesome Dove to the adult westerns like "Longarm" and "Edge", to the latest potboiler yarn by the current house name authors. This one falls somewhere in between. It has some action but leans more toward the slow build-up of suspense rather than full-on six-shooter action. The real draw is the charm of the town of Glorious and its realistic, if sometimes quirky, characters. Actual historical characters make an appearance too, most notably Ike Clanton who plays a major role. Cash McLendon is a wonderful character, a man who learns to know what it is that he really wants from life, working toward it, making mistakes along the way, and still finding ways to take the nobler path even when it conflicts with his own goals.

The end of the novel leaves Cash and everybody else in a precarious situation so I need to procure book two pronto. Greatly looking forward to reading it and the rest of the series.

Black's Beach Shuffle by Corey Lynn Fayman

Rolly Waters is a 39-year-old musician and has been playing guitar in bars, and clubs, etc. for many years now. Up until about five years ago, he lived the rock guitarist life too: booze, drugs, women…a sordid life all around. But a catastrophic event changed all that and now he’s sober. Still playing with his band. He’s good too, but not quite good enough to make the big time and earn enough dough for a quality life.

So, he’s taken up that age-old profession of private investigator. Usually, he’s hired to find lost children/grandchildren, obtain photographic evidence of marital affairs, etc. But now, out of the blue, he’s hired by a new-age dot.com style start-up company who has plans to make loads of money. However, seems they’ve lost (or had stolen) a key piece of hardware without which they’d be sunk even before the launch. Could it be corporate espionage? Revenge? Or something even more sinister?

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s cleverly written, well-plotted, and kept me interested all the way through. The setting of San Diego and, in particular, the infamous Black's Beach, is also well-handled. As a frequent visitor to the region, I recognized many of the city landmarks and I thought the author (a life-long resident) succeeded at what so many crime authors strive for: establishing the setting as a character in and of itself.

 

One thing bugged me somewhat, but not so much as to lessen my enjoyment of the book. The characters’ names are almost all derived from guitar brands or have tie-ins to the music industry. I picked up on this right off the bat when the character of “Fender” was introduced. Then when I met “King Gibson” I was on to the scheme. Now, I’m not particularly knowledgeable about guitars but I found myself looking up every name I came across and sure enough…names like “Marley” or “Simmons”.  Some names combine two brands, like “Curtis Vox”. A foxy lady is named “Alesis” (a music company), “Porter” and “Hayes” are a pair of insurance investigators. Even our main protagonist, Roland “Rolly” Waters” is a conglomeration of two brands. I suppose that’s all fine, but it smacks of being too cute. As I say, it bothered me some because it took me out of the narrative every time I met a new character and had to look up where their name came from.

This is a solid story with a well-thought-out mystery plot. The author’s own background in music really shines through in a realistic way. Other than their names, the characters are well-rounded and interesting, especially Rolly, who struggles to overcome his past choices.

Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

The Lost Constitution (Peter Fallon #3) by William Martin

I always enjoy reading William Martin’s novels.  They have well-developed characters, interesting plots, and a writing style that makes then fun to dive into. His Peter Fallon series is a perfect blend of a couple of my favorite genres: historical fiction and modern day thrillers.

For those that have yet to experience one of the Peter Fallon books, let me summarize the approach. Peter is a rare-book and manuscript expert and businessman, specializing in collectables of historical significance. In these novels, he is a treasure hunter, following clues from many sources until, hopefully, he reaches a successful end to his journey. But what makes these books unique is that we readers get to follow along in history, joining the historical figures (both real and fictional) and their adventures with that very same treasure that Peter is hunting in the present day. It is really cool to jump back and forth and see how the events laid out in history transform into clues for Peter to follow.

This time, the treasure is nothing less than an original near-final draft of the US Constitution, with margin notes scribbled by the founding fathers. This novel was published in 2007 but is even more relevant today as Peter’s present day world is engaged in a nation-wide debate on the the right to bear arms. Gun violence has reached such a level that they are even considering a repeal of the 2nd amendment. ("A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."). What would happen if some of those margin notes provided further insight on what the framers of the US Constitution might have been concerned with?  Of course both sides of the issue have their thoughts and extremists in this novel are even willing to kill to either find the lost constitution or see it destroyed.

This makes for a fascinating tale and the book rises to the occasion. The historical chapters follow Will Pike and his descendants as the lost constitution is smuggled out of Philadelphia, sold, purloined, auctioned, and hidden for over two centuries. There are a lot of action sequences as the document's value grows over time and people fight over its location or ownership as well as a lot of family intrigue. I did feel some of the middle sections grew too long and other parts could have stood some pruning as well but overall it was a fully engaging story. It was also nice to see progress with Peter’s personal life as well.

I certainly recommend this series, particularly for those interested in historical America. The first two books in the series (Back Bay and Harvard Yard) were almost entirely set in the Boston area but this one found its way to all of the New England states. I always look forward to my next William Martin novel.

Skycruiser by Howard M. Brier

I found this book in the dusty back storage area of an antique shop where it looked like it had been languishing for years. I took pity and rescued it and, of course, I had to read it. From the cover and the back cover description I figured I was in for an old-fashioned YA adventure yarn with a lot of "Golly Gee" type dialog. But I must say, this turned out to be a really fun read. 

First published in 1939, it's a straightforward adventure story of Barry Martin, a rookie pilot who gets hired on by an airplane manufacturer as a test pilot. Barry is a great flyer but his main challenge is finding a way to fit in with the other two pilots who regard him as an unnecessary addition to the team. Barry has many flying adventures in this novel, as he earns his place, but he also encounters some intrigue in the form of industrial espionage from rival manufacturers. His loyalty is tested as are his courage and flying skills.

Lots of fun to be had here. Today's book market would probably classify this as YA even though Barry is in his 20s. But I can certainly appreciate the more innocent age in which it was written. I'm very happy to have rescued this one from whatever fate awaited.

Mad Money (Two books in the Nolan series) by Max Allan Collins

Hard Case Crime completes their re-publishing of all of Max Allan Collins’ “Nolan” books with this Mad Money two-fer. I’ve enjoyed every one of the Nolan yarns, but this dual entry may, in fact, top the list.

The first book in this volume is Spree which comes in as the longest of the Nolan stories. Many readers consider this one the best and I probably find myself among them, although I hesitate to take anything away from the others as all of them are just absolutely top-notch.

Spree is the penultimate Nolan novel, at least as far as chronology is concerned. Nolan finds himself in a comfortable place, having gone straight as owner/manager of his own restaurant/club, located in the Brady Eighty shopping mall during the 1980s. His relationship with Sherry is solid and appears to be headed to a more long-term commitment. Meanwhile, his sidekick, Jon, is finally tasting some minor success with his lifelong dream of writing and drawing his very own comic book series. Unfortunately, that notorious family from the past, the Comforts, have reared their head again, this time led by Coleman Comfort and his son Lyle. Coleman, seeking revenge for several deaths of his family members at Nolan’s hands, makes his play, forcing Nolan to mastermind a truly ambitious heist of the entire 50-store Brady Eighty mall. A wonderful heist story, this one also reaches deep on an emotional level, with some wonderful new characters as well as several intensely dangerous scenes.

The second book in this volume, Mourn the Living is, reportedly, Max Allan Collins’ very first novel, written when he was an undergrad in 1967 or ’68, although it wasn’t published until 2001. I had always heard that the entire Nolan series was MAC’s tribute to the “Parker” series by Richard Stark (Donald E. Westlake), and I could really see the style similarities here. This one is pure Nolan with no Jon, no Sherry, and, in fact, acts as Nolan’s origin story. Previous novels have made reference to the events depicted here, especially how Nolan finds himself refusing to carry out an order from “The Family” and has to go on the run. The plot stems from an old friend from the Family named Sid Tisor. Sid’s daughter is dead, the victim of a long fall from a rooftop. Sid wants Nolan to investigate to see if she actually fell…or was pushed. It’s likely LSD and/or heroin was involved. This story is largely one of Nolan acting as PI, investigating and solving the mystery. A nice twist at the end that I should have seen coming, but didn’t, makes this one another fine read.

Together, these two books make a fine pair of bookends for the series, although MAC did provide a follow-up in 2020 with Skim Deep. I still have that one to read but I will add that these books, for the most part, read very well in this Hard Case Crime publication order. I am glad, however, that I saved Skim Deep until the final one, since it was written last and takes place after Spree. I don’t know if there will ever be any more Nolan stories written but if so, I plan to be first in line for my copy, regardless of when it takes place in the timeline.

The Fortunes of Brak by John Jakes

John Jakes is well known as the best-selling author of such grand historical fiction series as the Kent Family Chronicles (The Bicentennial series), the North and South trilogy, the Crown Family Saga, and several others.  He was a perineal chart topper of the 1970s and 80s and most of his works seemed destined to be adapted as TV mini-series. But fewer people know that his writing career began in the science fiction and fantasy arena.

Brak the Barbarian is John Jakes’ tribute to the great Robert E. Howard and specifically to the Conan stories.  Jakes wrote these stories in a similar style but perhaps a little more modernized. They are slightly more politically correct than the original Conan stories with the damsels still being in distress but not always quite so dependent on the strong male to rescue them.  Evil magicians, swashbuckling sword fights, narrow escapes…you get the idea.

The Brak series includes both novels as well as short stories.  This particular title is a collection of 5 stories, all of which were first published in various magazines and anthologies:

"Devils in the Walls" (from Fantastic Stories of Imagination v. 12, no. 5, May 1963)

"Ghoul's Garden" (from Flashing Swords! #2, Sep. 1973)

"The Girl in the Gem" (from Fantastic Stories of Imagination v. 14, no. 1, Jan. 1965)

"Brak in Chains" (originally "Storm in a Bottle," from Flashing Swords! #4: Barbarians and Black Magicians, Spring 1977)

"The Mirror of Wizardry" (from Worlds of Fantasy v. 1, no. 1, Sep. 1968)

These stories are not world-changing, thought-provoking, pieces of art, nor are they meant to be. They are, however, fun stories to read and I recommend them to those who enjoy pulp-era sword and sorcery.

Poirot and Me by David Suchet

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been enjoying all of the excellent “Agatha Christie’s Poirot” television series starring David Suchet in the title role. I’ve been impressed with the overall quality of the show, most especially with the way in which he so accurately captured the ‘real” Inspector Hercule Poirot, just as Christie wrote him (as opposed to the way he is usually portrayed in a somewhat cartoonish way). I’ve also been impressed that a single actor would continue to portray the same character time after time for 25 years and 70 films, most of them two-hour feature-film quality events, covering every Poirot story (novel and short story) ever penned by Dame Agatha. So when I saw this book on the store shelves I made the very unusual decision, for me, to engage in an impulse buy.

So glad I did! I rarely read autobiographies of actors but for me, just as with so many millions of people around the world, David Suchet is Poirot. He covers a lot of ground that you might expect in this book, including the very interesting manner in which he created his version of Poirot, how he captured his look, his walk, his voice, his mustache, etc. He takes us through the seasons and the angst which he and his wife experienced through 25 years of filming the shows, never knowing at the end of each series whether or not the next would happen. Because of these gaps in filming, we get to see what projects he worked on, mostly in the theater in London, while he waited for news. One theme which I did not expect to encounter runs throughout the book: what it means to be a character actor versus a “star”. I now have a much greater appreciation for that aspect of an actor’s craft.

But the major theme of the book is the unreserved and deeply held love that David Suchet feels for the character. Just where the character stops and the actor begins is something he jokes about but his need to preserve the character and make Dame Agatha proud is the mark of true professional. For me, as a voracious reader of fiction, I doubly appreciate how he tries to stay true to the character and fight against tendencies to “update him for today’s audiences”.

This is a pleasant read, eye-opening in some respects, but fundamentally rewarding. Recommended for all fans of the television series or for those interested in the profession of acting.

Sherlock Holmes: The Crossovers Casebook - Edited by Howard Hopkins

This is a fun collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. They are all crossover cases, meaning prominent figures of fiction and history “crossover” into a Sherlock story and work with Holmes and Watson to solve a case. Guest stars include Professor Challenger, Sexton Blake, Harry Houdini, Dr. Moreau, Arsene Lupin, Lawrence of Arabia, Colonel Savage and more. Contributing authors include giants of the crossover genre like Win Scott Eckert, Will Murray, and Joe Gentile. 

Most of the stories are written along the traditional Sherlockian lines but the final one, “The Adventure of the Lost Specialist” penned by Christopher Sequeira strays into the realm of the weird and strange. Nothing wrong with that and I did like it, but it seems a bit out of place among the rest. My favorite story in the collection is the humorous yarn entitled, “The Haunted Manor” written by Howard Hopkins and featuring Calamity Jane.

I read these over time, not back to back which is the best way for me to avoid burnout on one particular genre. As with all anthologies some stories are more enjoyable than others, but I genuinely liked every tale presented.  Some authors were new to me and so, of course, I now have more stories to seek out.

Home is the Prisoner by Jean Potts

Jim Singley has just been released from prison after serving a sentence for manslaughter. In deciding to return to the small middle-America community where everybody knows he killed his business partner, he knows it won’t be easy. As for the community at large and especially for those close to Jim and what happened, they can only wonder one thing. Why would Jim come back here? It must be for some sort of unfinished business.

That’s the mystery at the heart of this novel by Jean Potts, an accomplished writer of numerous short stories in addition to some fourteen novels published in the 1950’s-60’s. She is known for her characterizations, especially in small towns and that is clearly evident here. The plot unfolds through the eyes of a handful of people in Jim’s orbit, shifting the perspective and letting readers in on their own secrets and theories. From early on in the novel, one gets the impression that Jim was likely falsely imprisoned but at the same time it remains quite possible he is an evil man intent on revenge. The solution is not evident until the very end.

By today’s standards this is not a swiftly moving narrative. There is a lot of thoughtful perspective from quite a few characters, much of it inwardly focused. The novel is well-written and I can see why the author won the Edgar award for best first novel for Go, Lovely Rose.

The Tin Lizzie Troop by Glendon Swarthout

During the Mexican-American border campaign of 1916 during which 100,000 national guardsmen were called up to defend the US against raiding Mexican bandits, an incident took place that resulted in the first ever mechanized infantry engagement. This novel, by American writer Glendon Swarthout, takes a humorous (and fictionalized) view of that event, resulting in a fun read indeed.

General Blackjack Pershing’s fruitless chase of Pancho Villa took all the headlines at the time but here we follow Lt. Stanley Dinkle, commander of Patrol Post No. 2 based out of Ft. Bliss. A rotation of National Guardsman perform a tour of duty for a month at a time under his command and this time it is six members of the Philadelphia Light Horse. Officially they are national guard but in reality they are the sons of wealthy hoity-toity military men’s club members. Naturally, they expect their tour of duty to be nothing but fun and games. Among their gear are polo mallets, a Victrola phonograph, and two Ford Model T automobiles.

When Lt Dinkle is granted leave in El Paso for a weekend, he leaves one of the six men in charge and of course everything goes to Hell. They are raided by Mexican bandits, their horses stolen, and a local homely maiden is kidnapped. The very honor of the Philadelphia Light Horse is at stake! Against all orders, they cross the Rio Grande and charge toward the bandits. However, they soon learn that Model T’s racing across the desert tend to encounter all sorts of mechanical problems that horses do not.

This is the funniest novel I have read in a long time. Nearly every line, whether dialog or not is humorous in one way or another. It combines farcical situations with some surprising pathos. And it also contains some shockingly violent scenes. It’s like reading a Monty Python skit as directed by Quentin Tarantino. A movie version was almost made staring Paul Newman. Too bad it wasn’t. I would have paid to see that.

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why I read.

I am going to do my best to explain why this one made it into my favorites list which is not easy to do given the total number of books I've read.  First, I will say that I am a relative newcomer to Sanderson's work.  I read the Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set last year and Elantris earlier this year. I knew after just reading that first Mistborn book that Sanderson would be one of my must-read authors and by the end of that trilogy I had vowed to read everything he writes, even if it means traversing the entire Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan just to get to those final volumes by Sanderson.

I had not actually intended on reading The Way of Kings next, mostly because of the sheer size of it. Size, in and of itself, doesn't bother me and I've read numerous "doorstoppers" before. But they can sometimes seem too drawn out and slow moving and I was simply worried that the same might happen to my beloved Sanderson.

But no, it was not to be. Sanderson has written the near perfect novel here. His world building, as incredible as always, is beyond my ability to describe adequately. While complicated, the cultural, religious, and political systems upon which the plot is developed makes sense and yet still does not divert the reader from where his/her attention should be focused: upon the plot and the characters. Same goes for the magic system that we get to explore with the characters, discovering its nuances at the same time as the characters.

And speaking of characters, many other lengthy books or series in the fantasy genre that I've read suffer from too many characters, too many points-of-view. And there are a lot of characters here as well, but Sanderson chooses to focus on a select few so that we readers don't get bogged down, flipping back pages to try and remember who so-and-so is. And each of his focus characters is intriguing in their own ways. They have complex backgrounds and motivations and none of them are all good or all bad. They are real. And each time a new chapter opened and returned me to that particular character, I would instantly sink into their part of the story.

And the plot. I won't rehash that here; I could never do it justice. Suffice it to say that all the elements of good story-telling are here: intrigue, peril, action, romance, noble honor, dastardly betrayal...I could go on and on. But to put it all together and make it soooo enjoyable requires the genius of Brandon Sanderson. Usually when I read a long work such as this, I churn through the final hundred pages or so to get that feeling of finally conquering that mountain of pages. But with this one I found myself stalling, not wanting it to end, despite its page length. As I write this I actually am feeling a little in withdrawal about the whole thing. And this is the beginning of what is reportedly a 10-book series? 

I know this sounds like total fanboy gushing but reading this novel really did effect me more than 99% of the novels I read. And I'm the type of reader who likes most of what he reads. So if you haven't discovered Sanderson yet, I suggest you still start out with the Mistborn series (at least the first trilogy)  and work your way through from there. 

Highest possible recommendation!

War in Sandoval County by Wayne D. Overholser

I’ve been wanting to read a Wayne D. Overholser western ever since I saw him referenced in Stephen King's novel Wolves of the Calla, part of King's "Dark Tower" saga.  Overholser was among the earlier group of American western writers and, in fact, won the very first Spur Award in 1953 for his novel, Law Man. Like many others of his time, Wayne cut his teeth in the pulps, his first story published in 1936.

In this book, Jeff Ardell is a man caught in the middle of a range war. He begins the book as part of the “Big 4” ranchers in the high prairie region near Starbuck, Colorado.  An ugly cattle-rustling problem causes the leader of the Big 4, Ben Shortt, to call in a “livestock detective” to find proof of the re-branding activity. However, the man he secretly calls in, Sam Marks, is a notorious killer, known for his cowardly way of shooting unsuspecting men in the back. Jeff sees Shortt’s power-grab for what it is and decides to pull out of the Big 4. But trying to determine who his friends are and who might be selling him out to the killer is only part of his problem now.

This book has plenty of gun-slinging action and back-stabbing twists as Jeff stubbornly takes on the existing power structure. It’s not just about how Jeff can outmaneuver his foes but how can he lead his side against so many people arrayed against him. Even the good guys tend toward the gray side of the scale, so Jeff has some moral dilemmas to wade through.

An enjoyable read with a satisfying ending that makes me want to hunt down some more of Overholser’s work.

Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction by Max Allan Collins & James L. Traylor

Mickey Spillane was a complicated man. Known by many as the creator of the iconic and influential character Mike Hammer, he is known by others primarily for a lengthy series of Miller Lite beer commercials. He earned a reputation as an edgy, hard-living, man’s man and yet was known to friends and family as kind, considerate, and willing to give a stranger the shirt off his back. His sense of humor was as evident as his legendary hard-punching, revenge-oriented, justice-delivering hero Mike Hammer.

I grew up after Spillane’s zenith and really only knew him via his reputation. In fact, I came to this biography not because of any great desire to learn about him and his work, (although I felt that would be interesting) but rather because I am a big fan of co-author Max Allan Collins (MAC) and his large body of work. I knew MAC had completed many of Spillane’s novels and stories after Spillane’s passing, a huge undertaking based on Spillane’s partially completed manuscripts, outlines, notes, interviews, and verbal knowledge passing.

Reading this biography was a real eye-opening experience. I confess to having only sampled the first three Hammer novels and one non-Hammer title so far but after completing this volume, I now have a desire to greatly expand my consumption of his writing. This biography is far more than a regurgitation of Spillane’s factual data, his writing, and the events of his life. MAC, along with co-author James L. Traylor have done a tremendous job of showing us the man himself. We come to understand how a fast-rising star of cutting edge, censor-baiting crime novels became an overnight pariah, despised by many of his peers. A ten-year absence from writing Mike Hammer novels, at the very pinnacle of their commercial success, may not have been due to his joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses as many people conclude. We get to ride along as Mickey combines an adrenaline-charged interest in adventurous hobbies like under water diving, racing cars, and collecting guns but the real joy here are the numerous insights into his writing processes, his complicated involvement in numerous movies and TV series, his self-parody, and his sheer joie de vivre.

Looking back on his incredibly popular fiction, Spillane referred to it as “the chewing gum of modern literature.” Maybe so, but along the way he was perfectly comfortable with and even seemed to relish in laughing all the way to the bank. And as the authors point out in this book, the evidence for him caring deeply about his writing, the “poetry” of his descriptive passages, and the masterful plotting is evident with each story he produced.

Included as appendices in this volume are a number of interesting additional items, not the least of which is a nice fragment of his own autobiography, a task that he had always planned to get to someday. It covers his childhood up until age 14 and provides some cool insights into his outlook on life. Also included is a timeline of key events in Spillane’s life which incorporates the dates of all his major publications and other media output. Several lists detail his novels, short stories, collections, etc. as well as a compilation of the Mike Danger comic book series titles. Pulp expert Will Murray provides input to an essay on whether or not pulp author Frank Morris was really Frank Morrison “Mickey” Spillane and I must say the evidence is compelling. Perhaps my favorite “extra” is MAC’s own resuscitation of his efforts to complete each of the Spillane unfinished manuscripts and how that process works.

Ultimately, the definition of a good biography of any author, is that it provides the reader with a full understanding of the subject while driving a burning need to read more of his work. By that standard, this is a great one. I must stop writing about this book now so that I can open up my copy of Kiss Me, Deadly and plunge once again into that rain-soaked New York world of Mike Hammer/Mickey Spillane.

The Seventh Scroll (Ancient Egypt #2) by Wilbur Smith

"The Seventh Scroll", by Wilbur Smith is the follow-up to "River God", one of the best historical novels I have read in a very long time. "The Seventh Scroll" was meant to be read after "River God" but it is not exactly a sequel. It actually takes place in the present day with a couple of archeologist types who are out to discover the hidden tombs that were depicted in the first book. What an intriguing concept! What we got to live through before is now seen through the eyes of history, including all the distortions of history that are bound to happen. After all, what we assume to be true through archeological research isn't necessarily the way it really happened. 

The author does another intriguing thing in this book. He inserts himself into his own fiction, having a main character refer to Wilbur Smith as having authored the fictional "River God" from information uncovered in the first 6 scrolls found in the tomb. Of course it is the 7th scroll that the characters are after in this second book. This leads to some funny moments as the two main protagonists argue about just how accurate Wilbur Smith was in the first book; one of them goes so far as to dismiss Mr Smith as a hack writer who changes the historical record in order to include more sex and violence. It's a twisted loop whereby an author actually negatively critiques his own work...I guess you have to be pretty secure in your own writing career to do that. Regardless, it works wonderfully here. 

The novel itself is just as good as the first book in the series. When you get right down to it, this is a pretty straightforward adventure/treasure hunting story along the likes of "Romancing the Stone". But Wilbur Smith is an outstanding writer who has a knack for making you read just a little more and then still more despite any deadlines you may have to deal with. You know the two main characters will hook up by the end but it's not predictable how that happens. The dangerous scenes in the book are really dangerous and the suspense is spot on. As for historical accuracy...everything sure seemed to be accurate based on my limited knowledge of ancient Egypt and my trip to that country a few years ago.

I've read all the "Ancient Egypt" series (at least those written by Wilbur Smith himself) and count this one among the best. I've tried a couple of others, reportedly written with co-authors but frankly I believe Smith's only contribution to those may have been outlines or notes due to his advanced age. They're still coming out now, after his passing. Unfortunately, while they're "not bad", they sure don't live up to Smith's abilities. From here, the series returns to the past and the further adventures of Taita. Good stuff!

The Humbug Murders by L.J. Oliver

Intriguing concept here: Taking place in 1833, Ebenezer Scrooge, at 30 years of age, acts as an amateur detective to solve the murder of his own boss, Mr. Fezziwig. I had high hopes for this novel, given the setup and they were mostly fulfilled. I especially enjoyed the character of Miss Adelaide Owen who comes to work as a clerk for Mr. Scrooge and demonstrates a keen mind along with a refusal to put up with the antics of men who feel themselves superior to women.

The authors work hard to insert Dickens references and characters throughout the story, not the least of which is Dickens himself in his role as a reporter. Also included are cameos by Mr. Pickwick, Miss Havisham, and the Artful Dodger among several others. In addition, there are plenty of new characters thrown in which have a major impact on the plot and who also seem like genuine (i.e. odd) Dickens characters. In the end the novel works well. I did not quite solve the case on my own but when the big reveal occurred, I felt I should have seen it coming. That's pretty much an ideal result for a mystery novel as far as I'm concerned.

Reportedly, this was to have been the first in a series. That seems unlikely now since one of the two authors behind the "L.J. Oliver" pseudonym, Scott Ciencin, passed away around the time of publication. (The other is E.A.A. (Elizabeth) Wilson). There do not seem to have been any more published since this one in 2015 either. That's too bad. I would have happily read the next and the next...

Dune by Frank Herbert

This won’t be a real review as I can’t imagine I have anything to offer that hasn’t already been said by millions of fans worldwide. 

For me, this is a rare re-read. I first read Dune back when I was a teenager. I read it because my older brother had read it and I pretty much did everything he did. I remember him talking about the sandworms and about life on a desert planet where water (or moisture) was in such short supply that residents had to wear body suits that captured and recycled their own body sweat. In fact, that is really about all I remember from my own first read way back then, nearly 40 years ago.

I’ve known for many years that I’ve wanted to re-read Dune. I was simply too young back then to appreciate it. As a lifelong science fiction fan, I felt it necessary to re-visit this classic, often considered the greatest in the history of the genre. It is to science fiction what The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy. Not only did it win the Hugo award in 1966, it also won the very first Nebula award for best novel. It is considered a landmark of “soft” science fiction rather than the typical novel of the time that relied heavily on technology. Reportedly, Herbert deliberately down-played technology in his Dune universe so he could write about the politics of humanity, as opposed to the future of humanity's technology. 

Now having completed my second read through of this classic I almost hesitate to call it science fiction. There are any number of classic fantasy themes and in fact I would almost call it mythological. I have not read any of the sequels and am not sure that I will as I understand the character of Paul Atreides undergoes further transformation, not all of which is admirable. 

I’ve long had this on my incredibly short list of novels to re-read, a true rarity for me. I kept telling myself that “one day” I would finally do it. Well, “one day” finally arrived and I am so very glad I took this journey once again.

Highly recommended for all three of you out there who haven’t read it yet.

Dr. Thaddeus C. Harker - The Complete Tales by Edwin Truett Long

Dr. Thaddeus C. Harker, along with his two assistants, the lovely Brenda Sloan and the muscular slow-witted Hercules Jones, travel the country in the guise of a travelling medicine show, selling their cure-all, “Chickasha Remedies”. But it seems that at every stop, they encounter crime and thus Doc Harker is obliged to utilize his considerable sleuthing skills, his forthright and charming personality, and his trailer that doubles as a criminology laboratory to solve the crimes.  His plans to thwart the criminals are quite complex and make good use of Brenda, (often as bait), and Herc as the muscle.

This book collects all three of the Doc Harker novellas ever published by the author Edwin Truett Long, a prolific pulp writer in the 1930s and 1940s, under a wide variety of pseudonyms. Altus Press (now Steeger Books) did their usual wonderful job in reprinting these stories from yesteryear. The stories are as follows:

Crime Nest, originally appearing in the June 1940 issue of Dime Detective Novels (Volume 1, Number 1)

Woe to the Vanquished, originally appearing in the June 1940 issue of Red Star Detective (Volume 1, Number 2)

South of the Border, originally appearing in the June 1940 issue of Red Star Detective (Volume 1, Number 3)

All are part of the Munsey-owned pulp mags (probably best known for Argosy) and in fact Doc Harker was used as the primary drawing card for the brand new launch of Dime Detective Novels pulp magazine in 1940 (not to be confused with the very popular Dime Detective Magazine).

The novellas themselves are filled with adventurous action, dangerous situations, and a variety of pulpy characters.  I found the plots to be a little on the convoluted side and felt like I wasn’t always privy to the clues that Doc Harker had available to him.  The stories probably are not as polished as what we might read today but given the sheer number of stories that this author turned out that is hardly surprising.  But in the end, they are good, hearty stories and good for an evening’s entertainment.

Wild Night (Lucas Hallam #1) by L.J. Washburn

Lucas Hallam used to be a cowboy, but the 1920s finds him in the role of private investigator. His beat is the rising acreage of Hollywood, complete with prima donna film producers, shady backlots, and plenty of greedy folks wanting to get in on the profits. But when an obnoxious firebrand preacher gets accused of murder, Lucas reluctantly takes him on as a client, despite his distaste for the man. Lucas comes to believe the man was setup but just who and why…well, the possibilities are endless.

L.J. Washburn has created an intriguing character in Lucas Hallam. He’s an authentic throwback to the stalwart western cowboys of the previous century, complete with a Colt 45 and a hunting knife on his hips. A former Texas Ranger and Pinkerton agent, he spends his spare time as an extra in Western pictures. He has all the skills required for dangerous PI work and plenty comes his way in the first novel in the series.

But despite the western trappings, this is actually a nicely developed mystery/PI yarn to be sure. I’ve always been drawn to old Hollywood and reading this book was just what I was yearning for. I found the characters to be realistic and their interactions fun to watch. Historical Hollywood stars like Tom Mix and William S. Hart make an appearance here and there which just adds to the fun. The mystery plot itself is sufficiently complex without being mind boggling, lending an air of intrigue with every page. Originally published in 1987, it is not surprising to learn that it won the Private Eye Writers of America (Shamus Award) for best paperback original as well as the American Mystery award. Quite an accomplishment for her very first mystery novel. Thankfully, Rough Edges Press has re-released it, along with the rest of the series in handsome new covers.

Above all, reading this first novel in the series served well to whet my appetite for more. As of this writing, there are two more novels as well as a collection of short stories so I can guarantee there will be more Lucas Hallam in my future.