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Showing posts with label novels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label novels. Show all posts
Monday, February 16, 2026
Thursday, November 27, 2025
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Monday, April 15, 2024
SleuthSayers: Time to Say Adios
SleuthSayers: Time to Say Adios: Okay, I haven't known Marcia Muller for 47 years but perhaps a little closer to 37 years. I'm sorta on shaky ground but reasonabl...
Friday, November 17, 2023
SleuthSayers: How do you do it? by O'Neil De Noux
SleuthSayers: How do you do it?: Keep getting asked how do I manage to write one or two novels a year, plus some short stories. There's nothing to brag about, it's...
Friday, June 23, 2023
SleuthSayers: Some Favorite Novels by O'Neil De Noux
SleuthSayers: Some Favorite Novels: Since posting a list of some of my favorite short stories back on June 2nd, my mind clicked to some of my favorite novels. Many of these boo...
Friday, February 03, 2023
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: HOW LIKE A GOD by Rex Stout
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: HOW LIKE A GOD: How Like a God by Rex Stout (1929) Rex Stout began his writing career in 1910, publishing three poems in The Smart Set magazine. From 1912...
Friday, December 23, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Christmas Reading Beyond A Christmas Carol and A Visit From St. Nicholas
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Christmas Reading Beyond A Christmas Carol and A V...: Appalachian Christmas Nora Bonesteel’s Christmas Past by Sharyn McCrumb blends two plotlines of Christmas in the region. In one, Sher...
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Sunday, November 20, 2022
Friday, July 15, 2022
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Scott's Take: Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen
Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen takes place shortly after episode 2 and is told mostly
from the perspective of Obi-Wan and Anakin as they deal with the changes in
their lives. Obi-Wan has been assigned to the Jedi Council and Anakin is going
to be promoted to a Jedi Knight. They are no longer master and apprentice.
Anakin is also recently secretly married to Padme and still struggling with the
loss of his arm. They are both dealing with the fact that they are now generals
in the clone wars in their own ways.
Cato Neiomodia
is one of the premier home worlds of the trade federation and is allegedly
neutral in the conflict between the Separatists and the Republic. It also has
experienced a devasting bombing that is being blamed on the Republic. If Cato
Neiomodia fully declares for the Separatists, they would gain a large number of
new allies. Obi-Wan is sent on a diplomatic mission to uncover the truth and
de-escalate the situation. Count Dooku has sent is own agent to help sway Cato
Neiomodia to his side. Soon Anakin decides to join Obi-wan on his mission while
disobeying the Jedi Council.
The author does a wonderful job of building on the foundation of the two main characters relationship and does an impressive job of keeping each voice distinct. The author shows a detailed understanding of the Star Wars universe in this reader’s opinion. Some minor details might not be as understandable for readers who are not very familiar with the Clone Wars such as the references to Mace Windu and shatter points. This reader highly recommends Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen even though some parts are a little slow and some of the language is a bit repetitive in word choice.
My reading copy came from the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2022
Saturday, September 25, 2021
Scott's Take: Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours Omnibus by Jim Butcher, Keith R. A. Decandido, and Christopher L. Bennett
Spider-Man:
The Darkest Hours Omnibus by Jim Butcher,
Keith R. A. Decandido, and Christopher L. Bennett is a three-book
set that includes the novels, The Darkest Hours, Down these
Mean Streets, and Drowned in Thunder. Each novel was
originally printed in the early 2000s and therefore each one is set in that time
period and follows the conventions of the Spider-Man universe at that time.
The first book
and my favorite of this collection, The Darkest Hours, features
Spider-Man and the Black Cat trying to stop The Ancients (relatives of the
fearsome Morlun) from eating Spider-man. Anyone who has read anything involving
the Spider-Man foe known as Morlun is well aware that is one of the most
dangerous foes and is also aware that his relatives are just as dangerous. For
those unfamiliar with Morlun, he is a monster that looks like a normal man in
appearance, but is incredibly powerful and has no regard for human life at all.
His primary goal is to eat Spider-Man and others who are inspired by animals
(usually called totems) so that he can gather their life force and uses it as
strength. His family is just as bad.
There are references
to earlier stories and those references are very detailed in this read. Those other
stories introduced magic as an element in the origin of how Spider-Man got
bitten. Basically, the idea was that a magical Spider (a totem) was connected
to the web of life of which all reality was connected and multiple people in the
Multiverse were bitten and thus chosen to defend their particular point of
reality. On the primary Earth in the Multiverse, the Spider choose Peter
Parker. It is ambiguous during this era
how much Spider-Man’s powers were derived from science or magic.
In the second
book, Down These Mean Streets, Spider-Man teams up with the NYPD to
stop the proliferation of a dangerous new drug which not only makes you high,
it also gives you temporary superpowers. While adults do use the drug, it is
mainly being sold to the youth. This is a far more straightforward read than
the proceeding book. It is also a far more depressing read as well as not all
the kids who are exposed to the dangerous drug survive.
Drowned in
Thunder
has Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson engaged in a media war after a series of
robot attacks happen in New York City. Each is blaming the other for being
behind the attacks. Clearly, Spider-Man is not responsible. But, is J. Jonah
Jameson responsible? This book was also more straightforward than the first
book.
All three Spider-Man stories are full of humor and action and are good reads set in the status quo of the early 2000s as depicted in the comics. That means Spider-man is married to Marry Jane, Aunt May knows he is Spider-Man, and Peter Parker is a High School teacher teaching Science. These facts play prominent roles in these stories.
The last two
books in the collection each have a manor focus on real life issues. Racism,
drug use, and being born in poverty guide your life choices is a major theme of
the second book while fake news, disinformation and personal bias make up a
major portion of the third book. At times, in both books, things get a bit
preachy as nothing subtle at all. Both books have a far more reflective tone
than the first book, The Darkest Hours.
The Darkest
Hours was my favorite and was full of action and humor. The tale also includes
Dr. Strange. I very much enjoy the interactions between Dr. Strange and
Spiderman which often became very funny.
All three books
have a wide and changeable cast of characters outside of the those listed above.
They are set in the same time sequence as ordered in the collection. The
villains are very different in each book. The writing styles and prose are
unique for each book where each author manages to create their own unique Peter
Parker while staying consistent with his character.
These stories
hold up surprising well despite their age. These books are for more mature
readers and not for kids. The usual trigger warnings for this type of adult oriented
comics and novels apply here and are in terms of drug use, suicide, death of
children, excessive and detailed violence, and more.
I highly recommend this collection.
Spider-Man: The
Darkest Hours Omnibus
Jim Butcher
Keith R. A.
Decandido
Christopher L.
Bennett
Titan Books
(Marvel)
https://titanbooks.com/70490-marvel-classic-novels-spider-man-the-darkest-hours-omnibus/
May 2021
ISBN# 978-1789096040
Paperback (also
available eBook format)
608 Pages
My reading copy
came from the Grauwyler Park of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple
©2021
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Scott's Take: Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox
Batman:
The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a recently
released original novel that acts as quasi-sequel to the Court of Owls debut
comics by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Those comics are highly recommended
and started off an acclaimed Batman run by that team during the New 52 which
ran for several years as well as numerous other tie-in books. While I recommend
the Court
of Owls comic series, the first two volumes are the best. However, one
does not have to have ever read those volumes since the Court Of Owls and
Batman’s history with them is explained in the first few chapters of Batman:
The Court Of Owls.
The
Court Of Owls and their fearsome servants, The Talons, are some of the best
villains to make their debut in recent years. They are a great addition to
Batman’s rogue gallery. For those who do not know, a “rogue’s gallery” is the
term used to describe the collection of villains, antagonists, and
ne’er-do-wells that work against the superhero.
The
Court of Owls is an evil society of rich people that have controlled Gotham
from the shadows since the founding of Gotham. They are the power and force
behind everything that happens and they seek to maintain their control of
everything in the age of Superheroes and Supervillains. Serving them are their
fearsome assassins called Talon’s. These are children that have been trained
and brainwashed and raised to do the bidding of the Court of Owls. These now
adults have also been augmented with a significant healing factor that allows
them to, despite the severity of injury that would kill a normal person within
minutes, regenerate what is needed to live and fight again.
The
Court has a long history with Gotham and with the Wayne family and therefore
things are very personal between the two groups. They pose a serious threat to
Batman as well as Bruce Wayne. They know that Bruce Wayne is Batman. They have
the numbers, the soldiers, the tech, the resources, and more to match Batman
and his team of heroes pound for pound.
In
this novel Batman investigates the torture and murder of a college professor by
one of the Talons. Why would a fearsome society of evil kill a college
professor? What information were they trying to extract from him? What happened
and why are just some of the questions in this novel. The professor’s death was
also very unusual even for Gotham. He apparently died as a result of being
burned from the inside out. It appears that either just after or during
torture, he spontaneously combusted. How is that possible? Each answer Batman
uncovers raises more questions.
Batman:
The Court Of Owls also raises fundamental
questions such as is Gotham Batman’s city or the Courts? If the bad guys have
controlled Gotham since the founding, can Batman really ever save the city?
Will Gotham always belong to the Court of Owls? Can Batman, Alfred, and Nightwing
ignore the family history with the Court and focus on how best to deal with the
Court of Owls. If members of their families fell to the Court, what chance do
they have against the descendants of the Court? This fight is not just about
the city, but it is about the legacy of their families and the history of
Gotham.
Batman:
The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a
novel that is equal parts action and detective work. A lot of Batman stories
ignore the detective aspects of Batman. This novel does not do that and is
filled with multiple mysteries at work. The read features Jim Gordon, Alfred,
Batgirl, and Nightwing and those characters are also extremely well done. The novel
is also filled with less important details that are fun for Batman nerds who
enjoy the lesser known parts of Gotham’s history.
I
also enjoyed the fact that Batgirl and Nightwing were capable heroes in their
own right throughout the novel. In a lot of Batman novels I have read, there is
tendency to make the younger heroes appear incompetent or a burden to Batman.
This author understands that if they were either then Batman would never have trained
them in the first place.
I
also enjoyed how Batman cares about the people he saves and how he watches over
them throughout their life. This mystery read is a really good book featuring a
newer villain that many outside of the comic reading public are not aware
exists. Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a great Batman novel
and well worth your time.
Batman: The Court Of Owls
Greg
Cox
Titan
Books
February
2019
ISBN#
9781785658167
Hardback
(also available in digital and paperback formats)
Pages
336 Pages
Material supplied by the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2019
Tuesday, September 03, 2019
Review: Almost Midnight by Paul Doiron
As Almost
Midnight by Paul Doiron begins, Mike Bowditch is on vacation and
fishing. He deserves it and needs it after being promoted to Warden
Investigator and moving to his new area. He was enjoying his rare break until
he got a phone call about Billy Cronk. Billy wants to see him and as always
with Billy the matter is urgent and can’t be spoken about over the phone. Which
makes sense since Billy Cronk is in prison as a result of the actions he took
as he saved Mike Bowditch’s life.
The legal system saw Cronk’s actions as excessive and he is
now serving a prison sentence. The fact that locking up a man who, at the best
of times, wasn’t the most mentally stable weighs heavily on Mike as does his
guilt over testifying as there was no around the truth of what Billy did that
fateful day. By telling the unvarnished truth, which Bowditch felt he had to do;
his testimony was a major point for Billy’s conviction.
Billy
has been known to relate unhinged conspiracy theories before and Mike Bowditch
has no idea if the latest situation is another one of those deals or not. On
the face of it, maybe not. Billy explains that they have a new CO, Dawn
Ritchie. She is a sergeant and a transfer in from another facility that was
recently closed by the Governor. Billy wants Bowditch to investigate her and to
do it fast, but quietly. Frustratingly, Billy absolutely refuses to say and
then plays the trump card that Bowditch owes him.
Bowditch is very aware of that, but for him to stick his neck
out, Billy has to give him a reason. The blowback he would get over an
unauthorized investigation would be immense and with zero justification he just
can’t do it. Bowditch refuses.
That
is until with hours, chaos erupts at the prison with severe consequences for
Billy, Richie, and others. What happened inside and later at the hospital is
very complicated as are the background events that led up to the violence. As
things escalate, Bowditch uses his vacation time to conduct his own unauthorized
investigation into the case as well as deal with some other situations in two separate
and meaningful secondary storylines.
.
The
result of all these complicated situations and characters makes Almost
Midnight another very good read in the series. As always, the human dynamics
of various characters are interwoven with the beauty, often a stark and
potentially fatal beauty, of the Maine wilderness. The character of Bowditch,
as well as his relationships with others, continues to evolve making it very
important to read this series on order. Those already familiar with the books
and short stories will find another compelling and enjoyable read in Almost
Midnight: A Novel.
Almost Midnight: A Novel
Paul Doiron
Center Point
Large Print
ISBN#
978-1-64358-283-2
Hardback
455 Pages
$38.95
My reading copy came from the Polk-Wisdom Branch of the
Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Saturday, June 01, 2019
Scott’s Take---Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Falling
Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes is the first book in a series that started in
2012. This complicated fantasy novel reads like a lighter version of Game of
Thrones at times.
There
are three lands that are close together and all suffering due to a loss of
magic in their world. There is “Auranos,” ruled by King Corvin, where Princes
Cleo is our point of view character. This kingdom is ruled fairly and is
prospering while the more militant “Limeros” ruled by King Gaius, (also known
as the King of Blood and so very obviously not a good guy) also prospers
despite being ruled by an iron fist. The point of view characters here are the King’s
son, Prince Magnus and his daughter, Lucia. Finally, the third kingdom is “Paelsia”
ruled by Chief Nasillua who is an alleged wizard. This is a poor kingdom that is
suffering and trying to survive off of trade from magic infused grapes to
create wine. The point of view character for this kingdom is Jonas the son of a
wine seller who wishes to change things for the better in his kingdom.
To talk much about the plot of this book would spoil it since
there are various twists and turns that are not discussed in the book
description. The world building in this book is fantastic with each kingdom
being very different yet connected in interesting ways. There are characters
from every point on the spectrum of good and evil.
One of
the more controversial characters for anyone reading this book was also one of
my most favorite, Prince Magnus. At times his actions were straight up
heartless and then within a page in the same chapter he would be very caring. He
reminded me of a better Jamie Lannister at times. He is a man at war with
himself. He could be a very good man or he could be a very bad man. Right now
he is somewhere in between with his morality in the balance as the book goes
on. Will he become like his Father, King Gaius, or will he chose a different
path?
Even the characters that are good are often borderline at best and
sometimes, rather evil. For example, Princess Cleo and several of her friends
do questionable, if not straight up evil things. There are shades of
nuance to all the characters, but even the good ones have some significant
issues going on making them far less than perfect.
The
battles in this book are violent and realistic unlike many fantasy series.
Being on the side of good does not exempt one from death. Surviving much of the
book does not exempt one from death. Having an interesting background does not
exempt one from death. People die and not just the evil people.
One of
the neater parts of the book was how the author depicted the same event from
the different perspectives. Each side thinks the other side is totally evil,
but things are more complicated than they appear. While there are good guys, a
lot of the bad guys have their reasons for what they do and their reasons do
make sense.
I liked this book and I look forward to the next book in the series,
Rebel
Spring.
Falling Kingdoms
Morgan Rhodes
Razor Bill (imprint of Penguin Publishing Group)
2012
ISBN# 978-1-59514-585-7
Paperback (also available in hardback, eBook, and audio formats)
448 Pages (423 Pages -- additional pages are a preview of Rebel
Spring)
$10.99
Book
supplied by the good folks of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott
A. Tipple ©2019
Monday, April 08, 2019
Monday, December 31, 2018
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changi...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changi...: Note: Since the New Year is traditionally the time to make resolutions, we offer our favorite, the one we'd put at the top of all o...
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Crime Time : GENTLY DOES IT – Alan Hunter
Crime Time : GENTLY DOES IT – Alan Hunter: Despite recommendations from friends, I put off awhile reading Inspector George Gently mysteries because I had trouble imagining a co...
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