The Saxon Shore (The Camulod Chronicles #4) by Jack Whyte

I continue to marvel at this series, enjoying every minute of reading it even though the individual books seem to be getting longer and longer.  Topping over 700 pages, this volume is not a quick read but I’m fine with that because while the richness of the story spurns me on to read faster, the atmosphere and Jack Whyte’s style of writing compel me to read slower just so I can spend more time with it.  Yeah…it’s one of those.

The final chapters of the previous book in the series, "The Eagles' Brood" end with Merlyn’s rescuing the newborn baby, Arthur Pendragon and I had assumed this novel would be mostly about Arthur’s education while growing up.  Instead, almost the entire book is devoted to but one year in the lives of these characters, with Arthur only putting in a cameo appearance now and then.  Only in the last 50 pages or so does time advance swiftly and allow us to see Arthur at the age of 7 and 8 years old, already exhibiting signs of the leader he will become. The bulk of the book revolves around Merlyn’s laying the political groundwork and gaining alliances for the coming of Arthur’s leadership in the future. Of course there is much that occurs to Merlyn and his companions along the way, both good and bad.

I think with this volume I have discovered one aspect of the overall series that makes it truly special for me.  Of course I enjoyed all of the standard aspects of high quality writing that makes a book an excellent read: strong fleshed out characters, well-paced plotting, etc. etc.  But these novels also allow the reader to see the world building actually happening on the page. I always love a novel with a well thought-out and developed world and usually remark on that in my reviews. But Jack Whyte has taken it one step further by allowing us readers to view the world being built by the characters themselves.  Whether it is the discovery of new techniques for breeding horses, advancements in weaponry (including Merlyn’s accidental discovery of what will become the jousting pole), or even societal advancements like new ways of governing the people, or evolving religious competition, it all unfolds for us and we get to be a part of it. I liken it to one of my favorite types of computer games: builder games like Civilization.

It is tempting to classify this series as straight historical fiction rather than fantasy even though it is the story of Arthur, Merlin, Camelot, etc. There is no fantasy here at all (other than the phenomenon of predictive dreams that Merlyn is blessed/cursed with). Merlyn’s reputation as a sorcerer is growing but it is simply because of tricks or misunderstandings about what people actually see. The author has done a marvelous job of removing the fantasy from this fantastical tale and making it almost entirely pure historical fiction of 5th century Britain.

On to book number 5, "The Fort at River's Bend".

Ace of the White Death by Robert J. Hogan

Unlike most pulp adventure writers, Robert J. Hogan wrote all of his stories under his own name. G-8 was a WW1 aviator and spy whose true identity was never revealed. The series lasted for 110 issues, from October 1933 to June 1944. His two comrades in flight were known as the Battle Aces: Bull Martin, a superstitious man who flew an airplane numbered 7 so as to get all the luck he could muster, and Nippy Weston, a short man who flew airplane number 13. While some of the G-8 stories were relatively straight forward (especially the early ones), many of them delved into supernatural and science fiction inspired gimmicks created and employed by the Germans.

This third book in the series, originally published in 1933, follows G-8 on a mission to assist an embedded French spy who has discovered a dastardly plot by the Germans to use a newly developed gas weapon against an upcoming American offensive. The gas, the “White Death” of the title, is said to be so lethal that not even the troops’ gas masks will stop it. Thousands of Allied deaths are inevitable unless G-8 and the French spy can thwart the plan. 

This is pulp adventure at its most fun. While the consequences are serious, there is never any doubt as to the final outcome. The plot is filled with adventure with one obstacle after another thrown at G-8. Edge-of-your-seat dog-fighting flying action bookends the novel, but most of the story takes place on the ground with G-8 using disguises to infiltrate the mining complex where the gas is produced. The primary antagonist is Herr Konig, a devious man that will be a thorn in G-8’s life for many stories to come. Sometimes readers must suspend their disbelief, as when G-8 is captured, searched and thrown in a jail cell, only to pull out a carrier pigeon from under his arm and send a note to his two Flying Ace buddies to come rescue him. I’m not sure how that poor pigeon survived all of the commando-style fighting action that came before, not to mention the search itself.

This was my first G-8 experience, and while I didn’t think it was quite up to the standard of some other pulp hero favorites, I did enjoy it and will be looking for more.

The Vanishing by Bentley Little

Social worker Carrie Daniels and LA Times reporter Brian Howells each find themselves involved with something…sinister. Somebody in each of their orbits displays unique physical characteristics. Bizarre abnormalities. One person might have the face of a lama while another has scales and a backbone like a dinosaur. Are these abnormalities the result of some strange latent gene in their DNA…or something worse? When news come from across the country of similar abnormalities, Carrie and Brian follow the clues to what appears to be the source, somewhere in what used to be the gold fields of California, near Sutter’s Mill in the late 1840s.

I’ve read quite a few Bentley Little horror novels over the years and enjoyed a fair number. But fewer and fewer of them as time goes by. This novel reminds me of why. While the premise is interesting, the plot unfolds too slowly, and the suspense build-up is drawn out way too much. Looking back now it seems to have been one giant mashup of weird ideas. Abnormal freaks? Serial killers? Pod people? What is the actual horror going on here? Some people leave their loved ones and “vanish” (hence the title, I suppose, although surely there were better options). The first quarter of the book is all about introducing new characters and situations in little vignettes, only to have them die by the “horror” of whatever is happening. I couldn’t figure out who would be the protagonist(s) until about one third of the way in. And by then I wasn’t sure I cared.

There is a huge “ick” factor throughout the books as well, something that is a regular feature of Bentley Little’s works. It seemed even more prevalent this time though, or perhaps I am simply growing older and less inclined to want to see this sort of stuff on the page. If you enjoy reading of grotesque overly explicit sexual violence with outrageous details of sexual organs in action, then this book may be for you. Nothing subtle here. (This is not in any way sexy or titillating…more of a gross-out contest). I will certainly give the author credit for a creative imagination when it comes to this stuff, but I wish he didn’t always descend into such debased potty horror.

Despite these negatives, the plot does get to a conclusion eventually, although, frankly, it was a bit of a let-down. There were some nice chapters mixed in throughout the second half of the book which take us back in time to the 1800s era, so we could see how this ill-defined horror began. Or so I thought. But instead of this leading to an explanation of any kind, it was simply more examples of the same “horror” that is playing out in the present. 

In the end, the book left me thankful it was over, and I could move on to something more palatable.

361 by Donald E. Westlake

This is a stand-alone early novel (only his third published book) by the prolific Donald E. Westlake.  I came in to it with no expectations, content to know it was a Westlake novel and had some sort of mob plot line.  Suffice it to say that my faith in this author's ability to deliver the goods is secure.

Originally published in the early 1960's this is a story about a young man, Ray Kelly, recently discharged from the Air Force and now back home in New York, intent upon reconnecting with his father, brother and his brother's new wife and child.  But when his father is murdered in front of him, Ray begins a wild ride that forces him to take on the mob...from the inside.  The author is developing some of the characteristics that he has become well known for in later years, especially his penchant for surprises.  Just when you think you know where this is going, it takes a different direction.  

As an aside, there were two passages that were of interest, outside the plot of the novel.  The first: there is a scene in which Ray Kelly is forced to wait around and do nothing for several days, so he buys four novels to help pass the time.  He calls them "adventure mysteries".  But Ray soon discards them (actually rips them apart) because he thinks the main characters don't change at all, they don't grow with the experiences they endure.  Since Ray, himself is going through a similar type of "adventure mystery" and he feels the experience is changing him a lot...the books just aren't realistic for him.  But what I found really interesting is that he talks about the authors' need to keep the character from growing/changing because they need to keep them around for the next book in the series.  Westlake, himself, of course would go on to write series with the same lead character, such as Parker (as Richard Stark) and Dortmunder. Does he follow his own axiom from this book?

The second interesting item, just a tidbit, really, and not intended to be humorous at all, was when several characters were standing around talking about how unlikely it was that a certain event would come to pass (no spoilers here).  Keep in mind this was written in 1961 or 62. One of the characters said that it was about as likely to happen as marijuana becoming legal to smoke.  The times certainly do change.

Another keeper from Donald E. Westlake.

Furies of Calderon (The Codex Alera series) by Jim Butcher

I’ve been a fan of Jim Butcher for a number of years now, having poured through the Dresden Files books and stories. While waiting for more to come out, I decided to give this series a try as well, having heard many good things about it.  I always wonder if an author that is known for a certain style of writing (modern day humorous urban fantasy) can pull off a switch to something else (traditional epic fantasy).  Some might think these categories are both “fantasy” and conclude they really aren’t that different, but I would disagree.  Writing a crime/action thriller akin to Steve Berry or David Baldacci would be closer to a Harry Dresden novel than traditional epic fantasy.

So does he pull it off?  I would answer with a resounding “yes” to that question.  This is the first novel in a series of six books but is a complete story in itself with a beginning, middle, and an end.  In my mind many fantasy writers today forget that and write a single story spread over three or four books. This one certainly has lead-ins to follow-on books but if a reader were to stop here, I think they would be quite satisfied.

The magic system is pretty interesting and reminds me a lot of the sort of stuff Brandon Sanderson would devise.  It’s not fully explained but we know enough to follow along with the action.  That goes for the world building in general too.  I feel like I know a little about one corner of this world and that works well here.  No big info dumps to wade through on geopolitical systems or religious hierarchies or lengthy explanations of the flora and fauna.  The characters were well developed and I felt drawn to them, even the bad guys.  There is some gray here, fortunately.  I always appreciate it when antagonists are fully realized and may only be “bad” because they have different perspectives than the “good” characters.

There are some lengthy battle scenes, which may bog down the narrative for some people.  I’ve noticed this with the later Dresden books too.  Seems like Butcher can get carried away with those and sometimes they seem too long.  But the characters’ individual stories are all tied in to the action and the unexpected relationships that develop during these action sequences are a treat.

All in all, this was a wonderful beginning to the series and I am looking forward to following on with these characters in their adventures to come.

Go Down Together by Jeff Guinn

As an aficionado of crime fiction, I thought I would dip my toe into the non-fiction world of real life crime.  Like many people, I had heard bits and pieces about various criminal celebrities of the 1930s, like Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Ma Barker, and Bonnie and Clyde.  Part of my brain realized their real life stories were probably far from what has been depicted in the movies, TV, etc. so  at the recommendation of a good friend who studies this era of crime, I chose to read this book about Bonnie and Clyde.

What an eye opener!  Forget everything you may have heard or seen particularly if you have seen the movie starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.  Jeff Guinn, the author of this book has meticulously researched this saga, and provides an extensive source listing.  It’s so complete that it seems almost every line in the text is sourced from a letter, an interview, police reports, etc.  Hats off to his comprehensive research efforts.

I was struck by the story of these two people, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.  Growing up in the West Dallas slums and maturing only as the Great Depression hit obviously had a huge impact on them.  But plenty of other people lived through those exact same circumstances and did not make the same choices.  To see how a combination of their life situations, extremely bad luck, their self-image, and extremely good luck led them to their life paths is fascinating reading.

Some tidbits:

   1) Clyde Barrow was the absolute leader of the duo as well as of all the reincarnations of the Barrow Gang.  Bonnie was really just along for the ride.  In fact up until the Warren Beatty movie, they were known as “Clyde and Bonnie” or more often, “The Barrow Gang”, not “Bonnie and Clyde”

   2) It’s hard to believe how much the law enforcement community was shackled during that era.  Very little ability to communicate, very poor resources, no federal support (J Edgar Hoover was just getting started).  They couldn’t even pursue a criminal across state lines.  Difficult to believe they ever caught anybody!

   3) The overall time frame of Clyde and Bonnie’s time in the sun, so to speak, was really very short.  From their rise to national fame after the Joplin incident to their ultimate death by ambush was a mere 14 months.

   4) The Barrow Gang (as did Dillinger) continuously robbed National Guard armories to get their weapons.  Dozens of times.  Hard to believe but that seemed far easier for them than robbing a bank or even a supermarket.

   5) Up until 1934 when the duo died, there were no penalties for harboring fugitives.  Clyde and Bonnie (and other members of their gang) visited their home in Dallas many, many times during their rampage.  This was well known by the local police but they simply didn’t have the resources for a stake out.  And the family and friends never worried about the consequences of harboring.  But, as a result of Clyde and Bonnie’s saga, the laws were soon changed.

   6) The myth of Clyde, Bonnie, and the Barrow Gang arose largely due to the times.  Depression era Americans were usually desperate for entertainment to take their mind away from their troubles.  Journalists of the era were more like fiction writers and frequently printed headlines with no basis in fact.  Both Bonnie and Clyde loved reading about their larger-than-life selves in “True Detective” magazine and the newspapers and yet also complained when they were blamed for crimes with which they had no involvement.

Overall, this is a fascinating read.  I actually took my time reading it so as to absorb the impact of each chapter.  To be there at the scene of a getaway when the Barrow Gang is trapped with no way out…and yet they somehow manage to escape is incredible.   And it wasn’t due to mastermind-like intelligence either.  Neither Clyde nor Bonnie displayed much smarts in their lives but they sure did benefit from mother luck. Many times various members of the gang were wounded horribly but kept on going.  Bonnie herself was almost crippled after Clyde, a dangerously fast driver at all times, slid off the road and the resulting accident spilled battery acid down Bonnie’s leg.   After that, Clyde had to carry her wherever they went. Their lives were not glamorous in the least but rather lived day-to-day, mostly camping out and eating on blankets.  By the end of their lives they were both extremely thin and, due to various injuries, could hardly stand. 

I could go on and on about various scenarios but suffice it to say, real life can, indeed, be stranger, and more unbelievable than fiction.  Reading this book has made me yearn to learn more about other “celebrity criminals” of the era.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

A science fiction thriller set in the near future, “Upgrade” provides an intriguing look into what might be the future of the human species. It is set approximately 20-30 years in our future (Beyonce has just completed her farewell tour). The human genome has become a new battleground as we’ve learned how to edit our own genetic codes, to fight disease, etc. and make the world a better place. One problem is the age-old issue of people trying to make changes to what nature intended: the law of unintentional consequences. In fact, one brilliant scientist, Miriam Ramsey, accidentally created a mass-starvation event by altering the genetic code of locusts in China. Consequently, much of the world is currently starving and genetic manipulation has been outlawed.

The novel follows Logan Ramsey, Miriam’s son and an agent of the newly created Genetic Protection Agency. Logan participates in a raid and gets exposed to the SCYTHE virus. At first, nothing seems different but then he begins to notice the changes: better memory, better observational skills, better cognition all the way around. His bones are growing denser, as well. His genome has been hacked.

This is largely a thriller novel, as Logan learns to use his new enhanced abilities while getting tied up in a race against time to stop would-be saviors of the human race who want to use genetic enhancements to save the species. There is a lot of biological science thrown around throughout the novel, but I never felt it was overwhelming and in fact, I felt I followed along quite well even if I don’t have a complete understanding of gene structure or know my GRIN2B gene from my FOXP2.

Beyond the page-by-page thriller action lays the major theme of the novel. Why does the human race seem incapable of taking action to save itself from all the burgeoning threats that will very likely doom it to extinction. The point of humans being able to truly care for only a limited number of people is clear. The world watches breathlessly while a single child is trapped in a well but ignores the fate of several hundred thousand who are victims of a pandemic. The latter is just a statistic. How do we change that behavior…or should we?

This was a fun novel to read, fast paced, and with intriguing concepts. The level of research on the part of the author is mightily impressive. Blake Crouch fans will not be disappointed.

Town Tamers by David Robbins

David Robbins is one of the most prolific authors anywhere, having created and authored hundreds of novels under at least seven different pseudonyms, in a variety of genres. These include dozens of entries in both the ‘Endworld’ and ‘Blade’ post-apocalyptic series, 'The Executioner' series, and many stand-alone novels. The western genre has also been blessed with his output with over 70 books in the ‘Wilderness’ series under his David Thompson pseudonym, a handful of books under the Ralph Compton brand, as well as numerous contributions to 'The Trailsman’ series, writing as Jon Sharpe. 

This novel opens with Asa Delaware, well-known town tamer, about to take on his latest project.  Ludlow, Texas is being run by a group of rowdy and violent cowhands, but the town has hired Asa and his sawed-off shotgun to “resolve” the problem. Together with his son, a poetry loving strategic thinker, and his daughter, a danger-loving crack-shot, they rapidly fix the problem, leaving no baddie alive. There is enough action and well-written gun play here to satisfactorily fill most standard western novels, but all this comprises only the first third of the book.

The bulk of the novel is taken with the trio’s operations in the fictional town of Ordville, Colorado, having been hired by a victim instead of the town council. This is a different situation than they’ve faced before. No violent power-wielding thugs or shoot-outs in the streets here, but rather a peaceful, and amazingly prosperous town that the citizens love. Digging deeper though, Asa discovers a hidden puppet master who controls the town’s wealth, the local law, and has anybody who gets in his way brutally beaten or killed. Worse, the three town tamers have no protection from authorities to cover for their typically lethal methods. What unfolds is a masterful display of strategy, cunning, and unfolding tension.

Asa Delaware is a fascinating character and the author does an excellent job of balancing the bits and pieces of his backstory and characterization with edge-of-your-seat action. Robbins displays a talent for making a wildly over-the-top adventure seem perfectly logical and for keeping the reader completely engaged from the first chapter through the last. It’s no surprise that this book, rests easily in the high-quality pantheon of David Robbin’s portfolio.

Back Bay (Peter Fallon #1) by William Martin

I had read three or four stand-alone books by William Martin and enjoyed them all so I thought it was high time I began reading his Peter Fallon series.  Back Bay is actually the first novel he published, more than 30 years ago.  And, as expected, I enjoyed it very much.

This is a complex story that weaves historical events with a contemporary thriller/mystery-type plot.  Peter Fallon is a present-day student/historian working on his PhD and becomes entangled in a 200-year-old mystery concerning a silver tea set crafted by Paul Revere.  What follows is a multi-generational treasure hunt that drives the other aspects of the plot. I love the way the historical parts of the story are woven in among the contemporary scenes, allowing us to follow the history of the tea set and its impact on one very important and prominent New England family, the Pratts.  Chapters are presented alternately, with a historical chapter taking place in, say 1789, followed by a contemporary one.  I've read novels written this way before and sometimes they can be disruptive or downright confusing.  But not so with this one. There are a lot of plot threads here that have to connect across time and Martin does a fantastic job of keeping them all straight and allowing us readers to follow along easily, building suspense and intrigue along the way.

I also have to mention the setting.  Boston, especially historical Boston has long been a favorite of mine, ever since I read "Johnny Tremain" back in the 7th grade.  So along with the history of the Pratt family and the tea set, we get to witness the town of Boston grow through its history.  I've found the biggest theme in all of Martin's books is that we are the products of history and of our own personal decisions; the seemingly insignificant choice of some ancestor who made one small decision and thereby changed the lives of generations yet unborn, and of course, of the grand movements of history that affect us all.

The Spider Strikes by R.T.M. Scott

Richard Wentworth has been on the trail of a master criminal, an expert is disguise, for two years now, chasing him from one city to the next, from the US to France and back again, and now he’s finally getting close. But first he will have to go through a number of adventurous encounters including kidnappings, disguises, police suspicion, and plenty of gunplay before the final confrontation.

This very first novel in the Spider series is not an origin story. In fact, we get the impression that it’s been going on for years prior to this story. First published in October of 1933, this one and the second novel were written by R.T.M. Scott, the well-known creator of “Secret Service Smith” with the idea that his name would bring instant credibility to the new Spider character and drive initial sales. After that the reigns were handed over to “Grant Stockbridge”, a house name that was most often used by prolific pulpster, Norvell W. Page. The Spider character would change a lot over the course of the first several novels before settling into his most recognized persona. Here at the beginning, he is a fairly straightforward millionaire playboy but with a need to pursue justice as a criminologist. His vigilante streak is strong though, often taking the law into his own hands to dispense justice.

Even though the character would change a lot over the first several novels, many of the standards of the series are introduced here in the first book. Characters such as Police Commissioner Stanley Kirkpatrick, faithful servant Ram Singh, and girlfriend Nita Van Sloan are all present as are the Spider’s practice of leaving his mark on the forehead of his dispatched foes.

I enjoyed this one. Despite a rather basic premise, it was a fun romp of pulpy adventure just as I’d hoped. I understand the novels from Norvell Page are even better, as Wentworth morphs into a more interesting character, so it would seem my experiences with this character are just getting started.

Murder in Absentia (Felix the Fox #1) by Assaph Mehr

It's always fun to discover an intriguing concept for a novel and then see it executed so well. Here is a novel that combines a fantasy setting based on ancient Rome with a murder mystery. 

Felix is a professional investigator, an expert at retrieving information and putting together clues to solve crimes. A Roman PI, if you will. But he’s more than that because in this world of dark magic, he must understand those arts as well. When a young man is found dead, with a horrid, twisted look on his face, it is clear such dark forces have had their way with him. The dead man’s father happens to be a senator who suspects foul play so Felix is called on to the case.

The author of this book, Assaph Mehr, has done a remarkable job here. The world building alone is worth the price of admission. His descriptions of the Roman-like cities, structures, people, etc. are superb and provide a genuine flavor of what could be a real place. There are numerous “Roman” words used like Canicula, Gladius, Triclinium, and Pharos. Some are straight out of the actual language and some are fictional terms made up for this novel. There is a handy glossary included but frankly, I never felt the need to use it because the context was sufficient to understand the meanings. 

The magic system is entirely practical. It is also subtle, always there in the background but never hammering us with massive magical battles or detailed spell weaving. It blends in with the overall story very well, not stealing the thunder from the actual story of solving a murder. In fact, while this book is classified as a "fantasy", it reads more like historical mystery. As for solving the crime, that is also blended in well with the colorful cultural depictions and personalities we meet along the way. The solution is certainly not obvious and I had to wait until the final denouement when Felix gathers all the relevant parties ala Hercule Poirot to disclose the solution.

A fun novel all the way around, smartly written and begging for a sequel.  Thankfully, there is one, and hopefully more on the way.