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The Paranormal Puppet Show is the first installation of the Invisible Detective series in which four clever kids combine their talents to become Brandon Lake, otherwise known as the Invisible Detective. Set in London in 1937 (but featuring an interesting time-twisting paradox I hope is eventually explained) the story is well-paced, well-written, and a little scary. Compared with the two Doctor Who books, this one lacks serious undercurrents, but has enough layers to keep the pages turning. Read the rest…
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Shining Darkness is also from the Doctor Who series. This one exchanges the likeable Martha for the consistently annoying Donna. And yet … I really didn’t hate Donna in this book. It wasn’t that the author reinvented the character, he just found a way to exploit her strengths in a way the television series never did. And while superficially this book is a kind of Great Race in Outer Space, there is an undercurrent of ethics which causes ripples and waves on the surface and gives this adventure a sophisticated Read the rest…
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Wooden Heart is a recent offering in the book series accompanying the popular television series Doctor Who. We join The Doctor (as portrayed by David Tennant, affectionately known to us hard-core fans as the 11th Doctor) and Martha as they explore a vast, deserted spaceship. Or maybe not so deserted. This is a traditional Doctor Who adventure, long on the mystery and excitement, fast-paced, and with interesting guest characters. The Doctor and Martha are perfectly portrayed. But this adventure has a deeper, Read the rest…
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Yes, I’m on a bit of a Discworld tear at the moment. And there’s more to come, as I’m halfway through Soul Music as I write this. But my most recent completion was The Last Continent, referring to a location on the Disc - which, purely on the surface, is not the least little bit unlike Australia - which was the last to be created. And is still in process, as it were, when invaded by an unlikely and unprepared school of wizards. In “modern” times, it falls to the resistant Rincewind to repair the ripples Read the rest…
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Lords and Ladies is the second Discworld novel I’ve reviewed (unless you count saying that Reaper Man is my favorite so far as a review). Much more of a page-turner than Men at Arms, I finished this book, no lightweight at 382 pages, in about 3 days. And apparently chapters are things that happen in other books.
As I explained previously, Discworld novels feature recurring characters, and the series can be viewed as a very thick continuum, or several strands grouped by characters. Read the rest…
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Deviations: Covenant is the first of six in a series being published by Aisling Press. Rich character development and fascinating central conflict quickly addict the reader to this story. The author’s tone subtly coaxed me to judge the ethics of the situation comprehensively by virtue of the characters’ widely varied viewpoints. The moral dilemma of the story would easily lend itself to pontification from a less skilled writer.
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I’ve recently reviewed a vacation read, a sick-day read, and now, a deserted island book. You know, for when someone asks you what 20 things would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island. As if you could plan for that.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is ideal because, although it is worth the effort, it will take you a very long time to read. I started it on vacation last September. It’s now nearly the end of July. I am the first to admit, I’m not a fast reader, Read the rest…
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Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips is in many ways a refreshing indicator of the extent to which fantasy has been embraced by the mainstream. Far more so than science fiction, of course, because if you set out to depict spaceships in space, aliens in an alien landscape/society, or attempt include any kind of science or substantive, complex plot, you are moving towards ‘cult’, ‘niche’ and other more marginal frontiers where fewer members of the general public are inclined to boldly go. Read the rest…
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I say it unashamedly, I’m a fan of The Pratch. I’ve read a dozen or so Discworld books, and none has let me down. That doesn’t mean I don’t have favorites, which I’ll discuss in a moment, but this is the one I’m reading now, so this is where I’ll start.
Men at Arms joins recurring characters Sam Vimes, Corporal Carrot, Corporal “Nobby” Nobbs, and Sergeant Colon during a time of upheaval: Read the rest…
(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
(1 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)