Artificial Condition is the second book in the Murderbot Series by Martha Wells. All of the books are entertaining and well-written, favorites of many readers. In this book, the main character (Murderbot, a security cyborg) boards a Research Transport Vessel back to the spot where an early catastrophe occurred, an incident for which he has only vague and unreliable memories, but had the result of … Continue reading →
Although I have read Lord of the Rings a number of times, I chosen to listen to the three audiobooks again with Andy Serkis (Gollum) as the narrator. This is a superb rendition of the stories. 5 stars/5 HarperCollins Publishers · The Return of the King, By J. R. R. Tolkien, Read by Andy Serkis
Continue reading →Nightshade is a recently published book by crime writer Michael Connelly. Connelly has published 40 novels and has a strong following for this Bosch novels, but also the Lincoln Lawyer, and Ballard series. He has won multiple awards and has had his books turned into several TV series. Nightshade is his most recent novel. It features a new character, Detective Stillwell, who is assigned to … Continue reading →
When the Music’s Over is the 23rd book in the Inspector Banks series, a crime/mystery novel by Peter Robinson. Inspector Alan Banks and his team investigate two cases – a murder of a 14 year old girl and a cold case of the rape of a teenager by a famous celebrity. As the background to each case unfolds, the detectives find strong evidence of the … Continue reading →
Some Lie and Some Die is a mystery novel by Ruth Rendell, the 8th book in the Inspector Wexford series. The setting is a music festival in Kings Markham. A woman is found in a quarry, a murder victim, and Wexford’s team need to investigate. There are lots of interviews with witnesses and suspects, lots of checking up, and a number of meetings, often … Continue reading →
All Systems Red is the first book in the Murderbot Diaries series, a popular science fiction series and streaming series on Apple TV. The book won a number of awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards for best novella. We watched the series first, then I was able to get a copy of Fugitive Telemetry from the library and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recently … Continue reading →
Exiles was a book I tried to read once and put it down, then made a second attempt and enjoyed it a lot. It is the third book in the Aaron Falk series, all set in different areas of South Australia. Although Falk is with the police, his job follows financial crime in Melbourne. When he visits friends in a small town, the mystery of … Continue reading →
Fugitive Telemetry is the 6th book in the entertaining and popular Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells. It is both a traditional mystery and a science fiction novel told by a bot/cyborg who has moved into a self-conscious, cynical, character. All of the books feel fresh and rich with interesting characters, humorous commentary, lots of action, and a power-packed plot. Wells’ flair for balancing Murderbot’s … Continue reading →
Out of Sight is a crime novel written by a master of his craft. It is the first book (of two) in the Jack Foley (the gentleman bank robber) series. Foley is in prison to start the book, but escapes and a series of interesting and amusing events follow. We are introduced to Karen Sisco, a deputy marshall, some of Foley’s friends from prison and … Continue reading →
River of the Gods – Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile is a historical account of the expeditions of Richard Burton and John Speke in the 1850s. The author Candice Millard has written a historical account of the at-the-time-famous expeditions by British explorers to trek from the East Coast of Africa into the Interior in search of the … Continue reading →
