Sunday, September 29, 2013

78. Against the Tide of Years–S. M. Stirling

 

  

The second in the Nantucket Event series. 

What happens when an island is somehow transported from present day to the bronze age?  

The Nantucket people have begun exploring their new world and are reaching out to the existing civilizations of the times. And, trying to clean up the mess they’ve already caused.

And, of course, with modern tech (even if it is limited) they’ve already drastically changed ‘history’.

77. The Ice Princess - Camilla Lackberg

  

The first of a series. I doubt I’ll be continuing this series as I wasn’t impressed with the main character, although I did like the male police officer.  Good mystery though and effective and different setting. 

76. The Various Haunts of Men–Susan Hill

 

  

 

The first in her current day mystery series.  Even so, the book is oddly gothic for a modern day story, with lots of atmosphere and terrific settings.

Told from a surprising POV and with creepy effectiveness.

Will definitely continue this series

Thursday, September 12, 2013

74. Nine Princes in Amber–Roger Zelazny 75. Stormed Fortress–Janny Wurts

  

First in the Amber series, I’ve read this many times.  Intriguing and different magical system, with brilliant presentation of the information through the eyes of a player whose memory has been erased.

       

8th book in the Wars of Light and Shadow series.  This book represents all the things I love about reading a series as opposed to individual works. Change, based on learning, experience and exposure to events, the world deepening and revealing  before unknown depths, the characters having to survive mistakes and the vagaries of plans gone awry because of things not understood or known, or simply because people aren’t perfect.

Wonderful ending to this arc. Looking forward to finding out where in the universe the rest of the series goes.  I have no idea!  And that’s brilliant.

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

72. The Inimitable Jeeves- PG Wodehouse 73. The Art Forger–BA Shapiro

  

The Jeeves books are every bit as amusing as the TV series was, but I wish Stephen Fry had read it. Smile  

The Art Forger was different from what I expected. Not the usual viewpoint by insurance agents or art detectives, but instead from the forger’s point of view. Complex enough to keep me guessing and intriguing details on how forgery is done.

Sunday, September 01, 2013

71–The Difference Engine–William Gibson and Bruce Sterling

 

Alternate history/cyberpunk tale of what happens when Charles Babbage creates computers during the Victorian Age. England has a distinct advantage and the world, as a result, is very different. Including some interesting changes as to who is Prime Minister and who isn’t.  As well as whose still a colony and who isn’t.