The Shadow of the Wind was written in a nineteenth century story to tell the story of a young man (Daniel Sempere) who is introduced to rare and obscure books by his father, an owner of a bookshop. When reaches a certain age, he is taken to the secret, hidden, and labyrinth Cemetery of Forgotten Books where he picks one … Continue reading →
The Book Thief is a tale narrated by Death, who tells the story of a young girl and the people in her life in Germany during World War Two, “an attempt—a flying jump of an attempt—to prove to me that you, and your human existence, are worth it.” In an interview, Zusak said he wanted to write a fictional … Continue reading →
Age of Iron is a historical action-adventure novel set in the Britain before the arrival of the Romans. We are introduced to Dug Sealskinner, an aging mercenary who is battle-scarred, roaming and fleeing from the death of his family. He is looking for work with the regional warlord (Zaidar) but gets caught in an invasion of a village and his … Continue reading →
The Girl with the Pearl Earring is a fictional account of events in the life of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, in a city of Delft, Holland in 1665. In his home a teenage girl named Griet comes into the service of the family. She lives in the painter’s home and is part of the domestic staff. Her maid’s duties evolve … Continue reading →
Full disclosure first. I have read all the Jeeves books, I have seen all of the Jeeves and Wooster shows, and I have read most of P.G. Wodehouse’s books, many more than once. I am a full-fledged fan and always will be. The Inimitable Jeeves was the first of the Jeeves novels, but most of the 11 stories in the … Continue reading →
The start of The Secret History was a surprise. We learn that the narrator (Richard Pappin) and his friends committed a murder of their friend. The next 540+ pages explains the events that led up to the event, then what happened afterwards. The novel focuses on five college friends who are in a classics program at a smaller institution in … Continue reading →
Ian Rankin has written 25 novels, a number of them (inc. the Rebus series) bestsellers and award winners. Before he settled on crime fiction, Rankin wrote a variety of books, some of them thrillers like Witch Hunt. Witch Hunt was an early novel, written under the pseudonym Jack Harvey. It follows Special Services Officers in a pursuit of a terrorist … Continue reading →
The Cadfael stories are medieval mysteries set in England in the mid 12th century. Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine Welsh monk, is the central character. Before entering the life of a monk in his 40s he was a soldier and a sailor, lived in Palestine, had relationships with several women, and had a wide range of experiences from his travels. When … Continue reading →
Michael Connelly’s books have given us over 30 crime books in the last 30 years with central characters like Detective Harry Bosch and lawyer Micky Haller. He has also written books featuring Jack McEvoy (crime writer), Terry McCaleb (criminal profiler), and more recently Renee Ballard (detective), all set in Los Angeles. His books can be described as crime-related procedural novels, … Continue reading →
Writing this book must have been a daunting task. The Bonaparte Plateau area is a sprawling area with limited access. With extensive logging there was access, but it changed every year. The author had the task of starting from scratch,since there was almost nothing in print about the area. Forestry companies, fly fishermen, hunters, trappers, and a few explorers had … Continue reading →
Project Hail Mary is a sustained, entertaining science fiction novel. There is lots of science and engineering, many quips and lots of banter, several plot twists, and some excitement, providing ongoing tension throughout. Best of all, there is a pervading sense of wonder, following a “what-if” premise developed by the author. The story starts with Ryland Grace waking up, alone … Continue reading →
Stephen King likes to start with an unlikely premise and then develop an engaging story around it. This is another one of his “what-if?” stories that starts with an unusual event – a transparent dome appears over the town of Chester Mills. Every attempt to get through it ends up in disaster and the casualties mount. Some air and some … Continue reading →
An Officer and a Spy is a historical thriller, retelling the story of the Georges Piquart, an officer in the French Military intelligence Service, who believes that Alfred Dreyfus had been wrongly convicted and sent to Devil’s Island. The novel follows the actual historical accounts and people who were implicated in the “Dreyfus Affair”, the most famous military-government scandal of … Continue reading →
An Officer and a Spy is a historical thriller, retelling the story of the Georges Piquart, an officer in the French Military intelligence Service, who believes that Alfred Dreyfus had been wrongly convicted and sent to Devil’s Island. The novel follows the actual historical accounts and people who were implicated in the “Dreyfus Affair”, the most famous military-government scandal of … Continue reading →
The Guest List is a mystery novel written in the tradition of Agatha Christie and a series of subsequent cozy-mystery writers. The setting is on an isolated island off the coast of Ireland. The events are part wedding for the central characters. Friends, family, and associates are invited and have to be transported by a private boat to the Island. … Continue reading →
American Dirt is a harrowing tale of the journey of a Mexican woman and her son fleeing from narcos in Aculpulco. It has a straightforward driving narrative of the dangers they face in an attempt to migrate to America. The story is a compelling one that was very successful. It has many admirers, but some detractors too. The author … Continue reading →
