HCNewton - The Irresponsible Reader

Books about Books and the People Who Love Them

On August 9, 2024

Today is National Book Lovers Day (yes, around here, that’s just another way of saying it’s a day that ends in “ay,” except it’s a National thing). I’m not sure that “Lover” is the best way to describe me—buying, reading, and surrounding myself with books is just who I am. “One does not love breathing,” as Miss Jean Louise Finch, said.

Or in the words of Patrick Rothfuss, “I always read. You know how sharks have to keep swimming or they die? I’m like that. If I stop reading, I die.”

Scout and Rothfuss are likely overstating things—or maybe not, but they can give that impression. So maybe it’s safer to call ourselves book lovers, eh?

Anyway, as I said the other day, I’ve been meaning to post something about National Book Lover’s Day for years now, but I’ve never really known what to say. But it occured to me (as I was saying that) that I could put together a handy-dandy list of books that show love to books either about talking about books or those who write, read, sell, or loan them.

This isn’t necessarily a complete list, in fact, I’m sure it’s not. I did a quick survey of the 5200 plus posts I have here) to compile this list in the last two days. But it’s a pretty thorough one—I’ll get this in better shape by next year.

(Probably…Maybe…We’ll see.)

Books about Books and the People Who Love Them

(Links will take you to my post featuring the book.)

NonFiction

Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller by Oliver Darkshire—how Darkshire became a bookseller, and just how rare bookselling works in our modern world
42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams edited by Kevin Jon Davies—odds and ends from the collected papers of Douglas Adams paint quite the picture of the writer.
How to Read Literature by Terry Eagleton—I remember very little of this book, but there was a lot of good to be found in it (unlike at least one book below). Much to chew on, either way.
Don’t Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Third Edition) by Neil Gaiman, David K. Dickson and MJ Simpson—a revision of the first Gaiman I ever read—all about the creation of Adams’ most known series (in all its forms) and some of his later work, too.
The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne, Stephen R. Thorne (Narrator)—its about much more than being a librarian, but most bookworms will find something they can relate to in this memoir
The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Kid’s Books by Danielle Higley, David Miles (Illustrator)—it’s all right there in the title. Quick profiles of 29 beloved children’s books that will almost certainly make you want to go pick up some old favorites to get reacquainted.
Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a More Tranquil Mind by Alan Jacobs—principles for reading outside your time/culture/perspective
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs—as close to a mission statement for my approach to reading as you could hope for. I should probably read it again soon (no matter when you’re reading this), and if you read only one thing from this post, make it this.
But Have You Read the Book?: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films by Kristen Lopez—learn more about the books your favorite movies were adapted from
Texts from Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg—who hasn’t wondered what it’d be like if your favorite literary characters could text each other? Ortberg brings those answers to life. Frequently hilarious. Almost always worth a read.
The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians (Audiobook) by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann—Patterson and Eversmann celebrate those who connect readers with the books they need/want.
Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed, read by Paige McKinney—Reed, a writing teacher, talks about how she teaches people to love to read again, and some of the many, many reasons people love to read. It’s funny, insightful, and will make you feel like you’ve found a reading buddy. (I haven’t posted about this one yet, but soon)
Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke—I had a lot of problems with Reinke’s approach, but I’m sure someone out there (besides him) will appreciate it
The White Man’s Guide to White Male Writers of the Western Canon by Dana Schwartz, Jason Adam Katzenstein (Illustrator)—a guide to “teach you everything you need to know to become the chain-smoking, coffee-drinking, Proust-quoting, award-winning writer you’ve always known you should be…Not a white man? Not to worry. The White Male Writer isn’t a hard-and-fast demographic; it’s a state of mind…”

Fiction

A Rare Book of Cunning Device (Audiobook) by Ben Aaronovitch, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith—a fun, short, installment in the Rivers of London that finds Peter and some friends in the basement of the British Library (which sounds like a great place to visit for someone like me) tracking down a magical book.
The Book That No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade, Tor Freeman, Jarvis Cocker, Lydia Fox—a book written by a book (making it far different than a book written by a person) about a book that no one wanted to read and how to help it. That’s a lousy description, so let me just say—you need to read it.
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown—A bookstore clerk finds herself in a world of magic and wonder (and danger) thanks to impossible books.
The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano—a romantic-thriller writer’s conversation with her agent is overheard and misunderstood leading to her being hired as a hitman. Hilarity, danger, and amateur crime-solving ensues as she and her live-in nanny try to stay out of trouble.
The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington—a young man goes off to research a book into what makes a hero by interviewing all sorts of stock (and some not-so-stock) Fantasy Characters
The Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde—I’ve only read two of these (and I don’t know that I’ll read more, which is a commentary on me, more than the books), but they’re a strange and often delightful series about a literary detective who can travel in time, space, and into books.
The Ian Ludlow thrillers by Lee Goldberg—follow a thriller writer whose life keeps getting turned upside down when the plots of his novels keep coming to life as various and sundry criminals and terrorists borrow his ideas.
Ban This Book (Audiobook) by Alan Gratz, Bahni Turpin (Narrator)—an elementary school girl, upset that she can’t borrow her favorite book from the school library anymore, begins a lending library from her school locker featuring several books the school administration has decided don’t belong in the library.
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern, read by: Josh Bloomberg, Dara Rosenberg, Allyson Ryan—I can’t sum up this book about found-families in a small-town library beyond this inadequate try.
My Lady Jane (Audiobook) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows, Katherine Kellgren—Within this YA/Supernatural novel that re-writes Lady Jane Grey’s life, we get a love letter to books — and Jane is the representative book lover par excellence (though she could like poetry and novels a bit more)—there’s a treasure trove of quotations about reading, books, and related topics in these pages.
The Hawthorne and Horowitz Mysteries by Anthony Horowitz—These books feature a fictional and somewhat hapless Anthony Horowitz being hired to follow a consulting detective on some cases and write about Hawthorne’s successes (because Hawthorne needs the extra money).
How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely—a hilarious, over-the-top (yet probably really tamer than reality) satire about the publishing industry and the selling/making of books.
The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, read by: Raphael Corkhill, translated by Melody Shaw—Schmaltzy but earnest story about an older man connecting people with just the right books
The Library Murders by M.R. Mackenzie—a twisty murder mystery that includes a sincere and heartfelt tribute to Library workers and the value of their service.
The Jake Mooney books by Duncan MacMaster—Hack, Hacked, and Hacker (that I really need to write a post about) tell the story of a ghost writer who keeps finding himself in situations where he has to solve murders and try to keep from becoming the next victim. Funny, action-filled, mysteries
Namaste Mart Confidential by Andrew Miller—a would-be novelist and his stand-up comedian roommate/coworker serve as unlicensed P.I.s when they’re not working at a supermarket.
The Awful Truth About the Sushing Prize by Marco Ocram—a mystery novel featuring a best-selling author who can create reality by what he writes (it’s more nuanced than that, but it’s close).
According to Mark by H. B. O’Neill—a man suffers a breakdown and is visited by Mark Twain’s ghost who convinces him to kill himself.
Man on a Murder Cycle by Mark Pepper—a past-his-prime author, struggling to recapture his former success, steals the work of a dead author. And then people start being killed in ways depicted in that book, making him the prime suspect. And then things get weird.
I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider—brilliant comic strips about books, writing, reading, and the like
How to Write a Novel by Melanie Sumner—the sweet (and clever) story of a 12-year-old would-be novelist in her attempt to write a novel that will sell enough to allow her mom to quit her job and take care of her family.
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman—one of my favorite novels from the past five years is about a bookseller and reader discovering a family, making new friends, falling in love, and basically finding life outside of her books (but never without them)
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, read by: Scott Brick—a sweet rom-com about a small-town bookseller finding love.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Image by Hermann Traub from Pixabay

The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston: You Will Sit Up and Say, “Yippee-ki-yay”

By HCNewton

On August 8, 2024

In Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Last Shield

by Cameron Johnston

DETAILS:
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: July 31-August 2, 2024

What’s The Last Shield About?

Briar is the commander of the Shield, the Royal Guard protecting the soon-to-be-King; his uncle, the Lord Regent; and the castle that serves as the capital for the realm of Sunweald. She’s been in the post for several years, also serving as the personal bodyguard and confidant of the regent.

There are two neighboring kingdoms that would like to take over Sunweald, as well as to loot the castle’s vault, which, according to legend, contains the kind of magical weaponry that can remake the world. Keeping that vault safe, secure, and unmolested is one of Briar’s primary responsibilities.

The prince is set to take over in just a couple of years, and Kester is the prototypical spoiled, indolent, and irresponsible royal who no one can imagine can/should assume the throne. Maybe, if he grows up a lot before becoming an adult, but that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, the realm is in the incredibly capable and wise hands of his uncle Alaric

During a seasonal religious rite, an attack against the royal family leaves several guards dead and Briar near death, they have foiled the attempt, but at a great cost. After a long convalescence she’s recovered enough to move around a little bit, but not fit to return to active duty. After half a year of waiting and plotting, the survivors and some mercenary allies attack the castle from within—taking Alaric and some of the staff hostage, and killing others. Briar and Kester happen to be in just the right place and escape the sweep that collected so many. It’s up to them, each in their own way, to use Briar’s knowledge of the castle (and hidden passageways) to mount a rescue mission and to take down the small force who have taken over.

Shields

I’m talking literal shields here, not Briar and her guard.

Growing up, the only way I saw shields used was defensively—to block arrows or swords—until someone had to valiantly discard them because their dominant hand/arm was injured and they had to desperately use their shield arm to wield a sword, obviously. The only exception to this was Captain America (and a DC clone or two) and his implausible use of his.

And that’s pretty much how I saw the objects until now. But Clay Cooper and Briar have got me thinking about them as offensive weapons now. Their shields are very different in terms of size and material—but they’re both effectively used as a weapon. Briar does use her defensively, of course, but both prior to her time as a guerrilla fighter and now, she shows that a shield can be a potent weapon.

So my questions are: Have I missed how people use these things offensively all along? (either by reading the wrong things or not remembering anything but the swordplay, archery, and/or magic) Or have we entered an age where authors are embracing the full range of these objects strapped to an arm?

The Die Hard-Ness of it All

The Publisher’s description of this novel starts off with, “A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle.” And that’s absolutely what the book is—is that description reductionistic? Yes. Is it apt? Also, yes. But it’s also so much more than that summary. (but what a great elevator, pitch, right?)

I do not know if Johnston set out to write this as a Fantasy Die Hard, but at some point, he had to realize that’s what he was doing and (if you ask me) leaned into it. There are just too many similarities for me to believe anything else. But really, there’s one paragraph that seals the deal—I won’t give you details (but you’ll recognize it), but it is borrowing/appropriating/stealing an indelible image from the film. After reading that I knew it wasn’t just some ingenious marketer at Angry Robot who tagged it as “A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle,” as I half-way wondered, but it was Johnston’s intention. There’s just no way he does that.

I should stress that just because it’s a version of a movie that you likely know very well—do not think you know how this book is going to go. There’s plenty of suspense for the reader, as well as magical creatures that might have sent John McClane running for the hills.

Would I have been thoroughly entertained by The Last Shield without all the parallels to one of my all-time favorite movies? Yes. But being able to watch Johnston’s take on McClane, Nakatomi Tower, and the rest? It’s just an extra layer of frosting on an already delicious cake.

I do wish we’d gotten a Thornberg/William Atherton-esque character (should that get a spoiler warning), a non-villain that you despise almost as much as (if not more than) Gruber/his crew. Not because the novel was lacking anything, it’s just satisfying to see them get their comeuppance.

So, what did I think about The Last Shield?

This is a heckuva thrill-ride. Like its cinematic predecessor, the action in this novel is top-notch. It’s not non-stop, there are moments of reflection, of exhaustion, of trying to figure out how to survive—much less succeed against this force. The set-up to the main action also takes longer than you might think (but you should really just relax and let Johnston do his thing, it’s all important and helps establish what comes later). I was hooked almost immediately—and while I wondered when the “Die Hard” part of the book would kick in, I really didn’t care. I was having a good enough time with Briar, Alaric, and the rest.

But, boy howdy, when the action kicked in? What was a perfectly enjoyable book got so much better. Johnston can write an action scene—whether the action is hand-to-hand, bladed weapon against something else, supernatural-based…you name it, he can handle it with panache and aplomb. It’s well paced—with just enough downtime between fight scenes for you and the characters to be ready for the next. Once the book builds up enough steam, forget it—you’re not going to willingly put it down.

It’s not all about swords, shields, axes, and spells, however. Briar dealing with her injuries and recovery—both before the “Hans Gruber” moment and afterward—is done to almost perfection. There’s real growth—and real injury (and not just physical)—to be seen in several other characters. No one survives this time unscathed in one way or another.

The noted attorney and political operative Ainsley Hayes, noted, “they’re all about duty” when discussing the work of Gilbert and Sullivan.* This book, at its core, is just as much about duty as The Pirates of Penzance or H.M.S. Pinafore. Briar, ready to give her life fighting when she’s unfit for battle; Alaric, giving up decades of his life to step in as Lord Regent and govern; Kester figuring out what his obligations are to those he rules; several servants, guests, and others in the castle during the takeover carrying out their duties in what limited capacities they can as hostages—and the utter abandonment of duty by others. The Last Shield doesn’t have to be thought of in terms of good vs. evil (while it applies, it’s problematic when it comes to some characters). Instead, I suggest that it’s better seen whether these people live up to their duty/obligation or do they abandon that for selfish gain.**

And, there is something incredibly appealing to that way of thinking in our incredibly polarized and me-centric time. All sorts of people considering the cost and putting aside their wants/desires/lives in favor do doing what they’re supposed to do anyway.

* Yes, there’s no need to bring Ainsely into this, but I can’t help thinking of her and that line—or Leo, or Lionel Tribbey, etc.—when I think about duty.
** There are one or two characters who took over the castle that you could put forward against my claim, but I think I could make a strong (spoiler-filled) case in my defense, so I won’t do that pre-emptively.

I should probably talk a little about the three magic systems at work in this world—but this thing is going on too long already. But I really like seeing that diversity at work.

It wasn’t until I was preparing this post that I realized that Johnston wrote The Maleficent Seven, a book I’ve been meaning to get around to for ages. Now I’m even more motivated to do that (The Traitor God, too, come to think of it).

But that’s for another day, for today, I just want to revel in the near-perfection of this roller-coaster of a novel. I had such a good time with this novel and I’ve been telling everyone I know about it (I even think I sold the manager of a local bookstore on it, hopefully, he continues that chain). I was ready to read it again as soon as I was done.

Fantasy readers and action-adventure readers alike will dig this one. Go get your orders in now, unless you’re reading this on or after August 13—in that case, run down to your local indie bookstore and pick it up.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Angry Robot Books via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

July 2024 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

By HCNewton

On August 7, 2024

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

I read 20 titles (4 down from last month and last July), with an equivalent of 6,391+ pages or the equivalent (a little less than 951 down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.68 stars (.16 up from last month—pretty much a draw). Not the best month for reading, but not bad.

On the other hand, look at Mt. TBR–good progress there. And the number of posts for the month (thanks to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week) was significantly higher than usual. The blog was a hoppin’. Sure, most of that wasn’t me actually writing, just me putting stuff together, but…whatever. It looks productive.

Anyway, a little later than I like, here’s what happened in July.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

	</a

Still Reading

Ratings

		Average =	3.68
	2		0
	1		0
	6		0
	4		0
	7l

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read	NetGalley Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies
End of 2023	6	47	68	153	5
1st of the Month	3	54	79	162	7
Added	2	5	6	1	1
Read/ Listened	2	7	9	2	0
Current Total	3	52	76	161	8

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 5

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	1 (5%)	6 (4%)
Fantasy	4 (20%)	20 (13%)
General Fiction/ Literature	2 (10%)	13 (9%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	8 (40%)	51 (34%)
Non-Fiction	1 (5%)	14 (9%)
Science Fiction	0 (0%)	9 (6%)
Theology/ Christian Living	0 (0%)	17 (11%)
Urban Fantasy	3 (15%)	18 (12%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western)	1 (5%)	3 (2%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Grandpappy’s Corner: Under the Barnyard Light by Carla Crane Osborne, Brandon Dorman (Illustrator): A Quiet, Wintry Night’s Chores
Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos: Memory Brushes the Same Years
Divine Providence by Stephen Charnock, edited by Carolyn Whiting: A Classic Reworked
The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven: We’re All Stories, In The End.
Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church by Stephen O. Presley: How Our Fathers and Mothers Walked
Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs: A Coyote and a Werewolf Have to Save a Wedding
Howl by e rathke: Postapocalyptic Monsters and Those Who Hunt Them
The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 54: Dantalion by R. T. Slaywood: Countdown
The White Door by Pierce Taylor Hibbs: Good vs. Evil and a Tolkien-Quoting Cat
Detours and Do-Overs by Wesley Parker: Percy Chases His Happily Ever After
Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays by Robert Germaux: A Collection That (mostly) Amused Me
Chasing Empty Caskets by E.N. Crane: Missing Bodies and a Belgian Malinois in a Tutu
Grave Cold by Shannon Knight: She Sees Dead People
Return of The Griffin by JCM Berne: With No Time For Hope, Rohan Returns to Earth
Red Dead’s History by Tore C. Olsson: A Historian Looks at the U.S. Shown in the Game

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

WWW Wednesday, August 7, 2024

By HCNewton

On August 7, 2024

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

Did you know that we are two days away from National Book Lover’s Day here in the States? (yes, there is a Day for everything under the sun—it’s also Veep Day, Shop Online for Groceries Day, National Rice Pudding Day, National Hand Holding Day, and Co-Working Day). Which makes it at least the 5th consecutive year that I don’t have anything prepped for it. You’d think that’d be a gimme of a post, right? But I’ve yet to come up with a decent idea.*

Also, around these parts, Every day is Book Lover’s Day. Anyway, I felt like I needed a couple of nonsense sentences before we got to the meat of this post. Let’s get on with things.

* Okay, I might have just thought of a post I could put together

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History by Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson, which might be trying too hard to explain humor. I’m listening to Amari and the Great Game by B. B. Alston, read by Imani Parks on audiobook to remind me exactly where the story has us before I open the third volume.

Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Brock Poulsen’s Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1, and that will not be the last time I read Poulsen* . I also just finished and enjoyed Mortal Coil by Derek Landy, read by Brian Bowles on audio, which was fun even if I had trouble adjusting to a new narrator, and was troubled that I let my son read this in grade school.

* In case he reads this, I hope he notices that I spelled his name correctly this time.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next books will be some fun MG-lit, I’ll be reading The Legendary Mo Seto by A. Y. Chan and my next audiobook should be Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O’Donnell, read by James Fouhey (the premise alone gets it 3 Stars).

Blank Space

What kinds of things have caught your eye lately?

PUB DAY REPOST: A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer Quinn: The World Breaks Every One, Except Maybe Chet

By HCNewton

On August 6, 2024

In Chet and Bernie, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

A Farewell to Arfs

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #15
Publisher: Forge
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 288 pg.
Read Date: July 24-27, 2024

What’s A Farewell to Arfs About?

We start off this book with Bernie and Chet finishing a case for the Sonoran Museum of Art (an institution we learned about a couple of books ago), and with things looking up—and money in Bernie’s pocket—this is a pretty happy way to start things.

But soon after that, Chet overhears a phone call that their neighbor, Mr. Parsons, is having—and the reader knows things are going bad for him. Bernie learns the next day that Mr. Parsons has been the victim of a phone scam and is wiped out. Bernie starts looking into it—and into the Parsons’ ex-con of a son. It looks like he may have turned his life around, and is helping other former inmates adjust to the outside world and to stay on the right path. But is that what’s really going on?

If Billy Parsons isn’t involved—who is? And is there any chance that Bernie can get back any of the Parsons’ money?

Charlie and Esmé

Bernie’s son, Charlie, has been a consistent pleasure in the series—particularly because of Chet’s devotion to him. But adding his best friend, Esmé, in the last couple of books has made the character much more enjoyable for me.

I really enjoy their dynamic, for those familiar with Syfy’s Resident Alien show, it’s similar to the dynamic of Sahar and Max, only Esmé has a little more patience with Charlie than Sahar does with Max.

Even better, we get to meet Esmé’s father in this book—who seems like a good guy for Bernie to talk to in general—he has no knowledge of Bernie’s past, he’s not involved with policing, investigations, or anything like that. Just a friendly guy—who happens to be smart and (coincidentally) involved in an area that Bernie needs help understanding for the case. I enjoyed their conversation and hope we get more in the future.

(still, I do like the way that Charlier got to shine a little brighter this time than he usually does)

Bernie’s Past

Whoa. I did not expect any of what we learned about Bernie’s father in this book. Frankly, I didn’t think we’d ever learn anything about him—we barely know anything about his mother (and I’m okay with that based on Chet’s descriptions). But all of a sudden, there’s a lot about Harry Little being talked about.

It works—don’t get me wrong—and now I want to know more about Harry, his relationship with Bernie, and what was going on with him in general. We don’t get that (now?), but we get a glimpse of the man that was a presence in Bernie’s life until his early death. And that’s not nothing.

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

So, all the stuff about Harry Little added some emotional weight to the novel. But we didn’t need any of it—I’m not objecting, don’t get me wrong—but the last thing this book needed was more going on emotionally.

There’s some drama between Bernie and Weatherly. Bernie’s found a new way to botch things up with a woman—no real surprise there. The only plus is that it is a new way—he’s not repeating mistakes he made with Leda or Suzie. Maybe there’s some growth there—but it’s not Bernie at his best.

Related to that are some real dark moments for Bernie—we’ve seen hints of things like this from him before. But I don’t think it was ever this pronounced. Bernie is not always a good guy, he’s not only a white knight—there’s a noir character in him, battling to come out. And Bernie’s control slips early on in the novel and he has to reckon with the fallout.

But that’s not all. The Parsons have been aging and declining in health for a few books now, and for them to get wiped out like this—and then whatever that may or may not say about their son? There’s just no way to read this without your heartstrings being tugged. Scratch that—they’re yanked.

I don’t want to be unclear here (he says after probably giving the wrong impression). This is still a Chet and Bernie book like fourteen that have come before. Chet’s still irrepressible, he’s still an unreliable narrator obsessed with Bernie, food, smells, putting his teeth on perps, and snacks. He will make you laugh, and you will enjoy Bernie tracking down clues and the rest. But, like the better installments of this series, there’s a lot more going on than Chet’s antics—and Quinn makes sure that the depth is there.

So, what did I think about A Farewell to Arfs?

I admit that I was hoping for a criminal named Mike Craven to show up—to get back at Craven’s accidental use of Quinn’s name in last year’s Fearless. But it’s probably too soon for that—maybe in the next couple of years?

Once I saw what Mr. Parsons was doing on the phone, I muttered to myself (and texted a friend) that “Quinn’s getting all the mileage he can out of the research he did for Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge.” More power to him, obviously, but it did feel a little like a re-run. Thankfully, the story went in a very different direction—as I assumed it would, but still. In fact, while this might have been the result of the same research, the nature of the phone scam was different enough to shut me up.

I’m not sure that Weatherly handled things as well as she could’ve, but I’m not bothered by an imperfect character—she can be as flawed as Bernie. But that was the only hitch I found in this book or the events in it.

I really appreciated the depth we see of Bernie’s character, an angle or two that we haven’t spent that much time looking at before—we get to focus on. There’s more to him than being a decent PI with a lousy approach to finances. And if how he treats the Parsons doesn’t make your heart melt a little, you weren’t paying attention.

We get the usual chuckles (including Chet giving the reader a good idea about what he thinks about legalized marijuana), a good story, all the feels I described above (and more), and some good action scenes. What more is there to ask for?

Nothing that I can think of.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

PUB DAY REPOST: Red Dead’s History by Tore C. Olsson: A Historian Looks at the U.S. Shown in the Game

By HCNewton

On August 6, 2024

In History, Non-Fiction

Red Dead’s History:
A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past

by Tore C. Olsson

DETAILS:
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: August 06, 2024
Format: e-ARC
Length: 288 pg.
Read Date: July 13-18, 2024

What’s Red Dead’s History About?

Like so many people around the world, the author got back into video games in 2020 as a way to fill the hours he wasn’t interacting with people in real life. Like so many others, one of the games that captured his attention was Red Dead Redemption II. Unlike so many people Tore C. Olsson is an American History professor, so while he was fun doing whatever it is exactly that you do in the game*, part of his brain was looking at the history and time being depicted in the game. Because if there’s one thing the game is known for, is being the most popular and influential game set in American History since The Oregon Trail from the 80s.

* It should be obvious that I don’t play video games at all, not even the one in question.

Olsson went on to make headlines—and pack lecture halls—by teaching a history course based on the games, and he’s now turned it into a book.

This is not a book about the game (although he talks about it a lot), it is not a point-by-point examination of the historical details (but it comes up a little), it’s primarily using the game, and the things shown/talked about/alluded to in it as a launching pad to discuss themes, movements, and particulars from post-Civil War America.

The focus for the book is Red Dead Redemption II, but Red Dead Redemption comes up from time to time—but not any of the other games in the franchise. Olsson’s discussion follows the geographic order and proportions of the game—starting with adventures in the West, moving to the Deep South (for the majority of the book), and then wrapping things up in Southern Appalachia.

Historical Accuracy of the Game

From the start, Olsson is clear, he’s not going to get into slicing and dicing the historical accuracy of Red Dead Redemption 2, but…he can’t help talking about it every now and then. He has a lot of good things to say about the history of the game (really, he wouldn’t have taught a class or written a book inspired by it without that), but the biggest note seems to be—if the game had been set 20-30 years earlier than it was, it would’ve been better.

There are particular points here and there where he will offer specific critiques and commendations—but that’s essentially the point he keeps coming back to.

Now, I don’t know enough about the storylines of Red Dead Redemption or Red Dead Redemption II to know why the developers insisted that the game takes place when it does—and it certainly seems like they did have an eye for historical detail—they just missed it. It might be a game continuity thing, there might be all sorts of explanations for it. I don’t know.

Now, Olsson isn’t sitting there like Neil de Grasse Tyson tweeting about the scientific inaccuracies in movies, the point of the book isn’t to critique the depictions of the era. But while he’s talking about the various topics, he will mention them briefly. It doesn’t take anything away from the game for him.

The West

The first section focused on is the one that the game is best known for (and, I’ll be honest, the only thing I thought the game had)—a strong take on the West. I’d like to say that I’d read a book about the subject of each chapter were Olsson to expand them, and that’s true in a perfect world, but I’m not sure I really would. But I’d be willing to.

I should note that it’s probably very easy to read several books on the topics of each chapter right now. And you never know, I just might.

This section covers things as nebulous as the concept of “The American West”—and when did it start dying/disappearing (if ever). Controversial topics like The Indian Wars, the amount of violence in the West (and some of the notable persons behind it), how Justice/Laws were enforced, and so on. Olsson also covers things you’d expect (especially if you actually know the game)—the construction of and use of the railways; cowboys; The Pinkertons; Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.

I learned so much about all of these things—and I’m very tempted to go out in search of some of the books footnoted here.

The Deep South

As anyone who teaches American History—particularly in a place like Tennessee—is aware, talking about the Deep South in a post-Civil War era is a daunting task. But as that’s where the bulk of the gameplay takes place, the bulk of the book gets that treatment as well.

As with the rest of the book, Olsson talks about the game’s portrayal of this area and the topics, how media culture(s) depict of this area and the topics, and finally looking at the history of the area itself.

In this Part of the book, Olsson talked about such non-controversial topics as: The Paradox of Race; From Old South to New South; The White-Hooded Menace; The Tragedy of Lynching; In the Fields (largely post-War); Working on the Chain Gang; Mr. Jim Crow; The Lause Cause; New Orleans, 1899; and Votes for Women.

Obviously, there’s far, far too much to say about any of these topics than he has time for in a book of this size and scope—but what’s there is provocative (in a good way), thoughtful, and well-footnoted so curious readers (and there will be many after these chapters) can do some follow-up reading. Yes, that’s a sentence that applies to the book as a whole, but it seems apt to emphasize it here.

Southern Appalachia

This part feels very timely considering how much Appalachia, Appalachia, and portrayals of the area/its residents in the media have been in the last few weeks.

Olsson only gives three chapters to this part of the book (about 11%) as much as he might be kicking himself for that now. Like with Part I: The West, he starts by discussing “The Appalachian Myth.” Just what makes up this part of the country? Why has it captured the imagination the way it has? How much of what we think of when we think “Appalachia” is true now or ever was?

He then looks at the race to claim parts of it after the Civil War and how that shaped the culture and history of it. Then he spends a chapter looking at Blood Fueds—obviously focusing on the Hatfield/McCoy feud, what lies at its root—and the surprising ways it actually broke along family lines.

I was a little too tired while reading this section to get as much out of it as I think I ordinarily would’ve—and really should revisit it once the book is released, I think I missed some good stuff.

So, what did I think about Red Dead’s History?

I had some really good history professors and teachers over the years, so I really don’t want to say that Olsson is the professor I wish I had—but really, I don’t imagine many will read this book and not want to take a class or two from Olsson.

The writing is engaging, witty, and insightful. He has a real knack for making you care about something you really didn’t care about just a few pages earlier—for that matter, you may not have been aware it was a thing you could care about/be interested in just a few pages earlier. I’m not going to suggest you’ll agree with him all of the time, because you won’t. But you’ll almost certainly enjoy his perspective as well as his presentation of the facts.

I’m not really the target audience for this book—I figure that’s game players who want to dive in to get more depth about the context of the game. To learn the stories behind the game’s stories. Or those who now have an interest in American History and don’t know where to go get more information outside a stuffy-looking textbook. Given that, I think it says a lot when I tell you that I had a great time reading this, and am more curious the game than I had been before. Not so curious to actually play it (or buy the game, a console to play it on, etc.)—but enough to talk to my son who has played through it—and has spent a lot of time doing sidequests and whatnot, and maybe even to watch some gameplay videos online. And that’s more than I typically am interested in doing.

This is a great way to approach American History; it’s a good way to approach this type of media (games or otherwise); and it’s just an entertaining read regardless. It moves a little slower than a novel—but not much (for those who are daunted by non-fiction reads). Really, there’s not much to not commend about this book. You really should check it out.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with R.M. Scott

By HCNewton

On August 6, 2024

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Literary Locals

Literary Locals logo
I met and had a nice chat with R.M. Scott this spring, and now I’m very happy to bring you this quick chat about her writing.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Hi Wonderful Readers!

I am R.M. Scott, a young adult and children’s author.

My first traditionally published novel is Unseen.

It is a captivating tale of sixteen-year-old Alaia, a gifted healer. She can cure her father from a lung disease given enough time, but instead she must disappear, because the Inquisitor has accused her of practicing magic.

She flees with Mateo, the Inquisitor’s nephew, in a forbidden romance, but the young healer must learn to use her herbal knowledge to fight back to save those she loves. Even those she’d believed were already lost.

It is influenced by Basque culture and the European witch hunts of the 17^th century, but it is a sweet and adventurous, young adult read.

www.rmscottauthor.com
Amazon.com: Unseen: 9781942856825: Scott, R M: Books
Unseen – Kindle edition by Scott, R. M. . Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Unseen by R. M. Scott – Audiobook – Audible.com
Unseen (Paperback) | The Rediscovered Bookshop (rdbooks.org)
www.instagram.com/rmscottauthor
www.facebook.com/rmscottauthor
www.twitter.com/rmscott99

Are you a native Idahoan? What brought you to Idaho in the first place? (answer whichever question applies) What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I was born in Idaho Falls on the coldest night of the year. There were power outages, snow, and storms. All the heat in the maternity ward was routed to the babies to keep them alive, and I was one of them. So yes, I am a native Idahoan. I’ve traveled to Europe, Asia, Central America, and all over the U.S., but the Northwest is more than where I am, it’s simply who I am. Home. A connection of life and being.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
I joined SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) after meeting a local author at Hastings. It has been huge for me. I met other authors that helped mentor me in critique groups. I grew in my skill and craft. I took courses and attended conferences, still do.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
I like to attend the Idaho Writer’s Guild conference held annually in Boise. There are usually agents to pitch work to and classes on craft. SCBWI also has great conferences, with a focus on writing for children. It has conferences occasionally in Idaho, and annually or semi-annually in Utah, Seattle, Portland, and other areas.

Utah also has a couple amazing conferences that I’ve attended – LTUE (a must if you’re a Brandon Sanderson fan) and the Storymakers Conference. The Storymakers Conference has an annual competition called the Whitney Awards. I was honored to be a finalist in 2022 where I got to meet Brandon Sanderson in person. And yes, I am a fan.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
My audience is wide-ranging in age groups and geographical areas. For example, readers of my book have ranged from 11 to 90-years-old. My book is at different libraries across the U.S. I’ve had readers in the U.K. as well.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
When you attend large conferences, you realize how much a “small fry” you are. There are definite advantages to big areas with big names and big conferences. However, sometimes I see being from a smaller venue as an advantage because you’re not as easily discouraged by how intense the competition can be. You’re more likely to try simply because you’re a little unaware of it.

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I think writing is an expression of the soul. It’s hard to divide it into who you are and the story. It’s intertwined. Sometimes I can tell where an author is from quite easily from the choice of words, perspective, and storytelling. All our experiences shape our viewpoints, and I’m no different. I do believe kindness and helping others is part of being Idahoan and that is always going to be an undertone in my writing.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
For those who have grown up hearing about their pioneer ancestors, I enjoyed Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson. It’s a young adult novel with a magical twist influenced by covered wagons, walking the Oregon trail, and the gold rush.

Good looking pick!

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it! Readers, be sure to click on at least one of those links above and check out Scott’s work out!

Literary Locals logo

MUSIC MONDAY: Ooh La La by Faces

By HCNewton

On August 5, 2024

In News/Misc.

Music Monday

Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer Quinn: The World Breaks Every One, Except Maybe Chet

By HCNewton

On August 5, 2024

In Chet and Bernie, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

A Farewell to Arfs

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #15
Publisher: Forge
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 288 pg.
Read Date: July 24-27, 2024

What’s A Farewell to Arfs About?

We start off this book with Bernie and Chet finishing a case for the Sonoran Museum of Art (an institution we learned about a couple of books ago), and with things looking up—and money in Bernie’s pocket—this is a pretty happy way to start things.

But soon after that, Chet overhears a phone call that their neighbor, Mr. Parsons, is having—and the reader knows things are going bad for him. Bernie learns the next day that Mr. Parsons has been the victim of a phone scam and is wiped out. Bernie starts looking into it—and into the Parsons’ ex-con of a son. It looks like he may have turned his life around, and is helping other former inmates adjust to the outside world and to stay on the right path. But is that what’s really going on?

If Billy Parsons isn’t involved—who is? And is there any chance that Bernie can get back any of the Parsons’ money?

Charlie and Esmé

Bernie’s son, Charlie, has been a consistent pleasure in the series—particularly because of Chet’s devotion to him. But adding his best friend, Esmé, in the last couple of books has made the character much more enjoyable for me.

I really enjoy their dynamic, for those familiar with Syfy’s Resident Alien show, it’s similar to the dynamic of Sahar and Max, only Esmé has a little more patience with Charlie than Sahar does with Max.

Even better, we get to meet Esmé’s father in this book—who seems like a good guy for Bernie to talk to in general—he has no knowledge of Bernie’s past, he’s not involved with policing, investigations, or anything like that. Just a friendly guy—who happens to be smart and (coincidentally) involved in an area that Bernie needs help understanding for the case. I enjoyed their conversation and hope we get more in the future.

(still, I do like the way that Charlier got to shine a little brighter this time than he usually does)

Bernie’s Past

Whoa. I did not expect any of what we learned about Bernie’s father in this book. Frankly, I didn’t think we’d ever learn anything about him—we barely know anything about his mother (and I’m okay with that based on Chet’s descriptions). But all of a sudden, there’s a lot about Harry Little being talked about.

It works—don’t get me wrong—and now I want to know more about Harry, his relationship with Bernie, and what was going on with him in general. We don’t get that (now?), but we get a glimpse of the man that was a presence in Bernie’s life until his early death. And that’s not nothing.

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

So, all the stuff about Harry Little added some emotional weight to the novel. But we didn’t need any of it—I’m not objecting, don’t get me wrong—but the last thing this book needed was more going on emotionally.

There’s some drama between Bernie and Weatherly. Bernie’s found a new way to botch things up with a woman—no real surprise there. The only plus is that it is a new way—he’s not repeating mistakes he made with Leda or Suzie. Maybe there’s some growth there—but it’s not Bernie at his best.

Related to that are some real dark moments for Bernie—we’ve seen hints of things like this from him before. But I don’t think it was ever this pronounced. Bernie is not always a good guy, he’s not only a white knight—there’s a noir character in him, battling to come out. And Bernie’s control slips early on in the novel and he has to reckon with the fallout.

But that’s not all. The Parsons have been aging and declining in health for a few books now, and for them to get wiped out like this—and then whatever that may or may not say about their son? There’s just no way to read this without your heartstrings being tugged. Scratch that—they’re yanked.

I don’t want to be unclear here (he says after probably giving the wrong impression). This is still a Chet and Bernie book like fourteen that have come before. Chet’s still irrepressible, he’s still an unreliable narrator obsessed with Bernie, food, smells, putting his teeth on perps, and snacks. He will make you laugh, and you will enjoy Bernie tracking down clues and the rest. But, like the better installments of this series, there’s a lot more going on than Chet’s antics—and Quinn makes sure that the depth is there.

So, what did I think about A Farewell to Arfs?

I admit that I was hoping for a criminal named Mike Craven to show up—to get back at Craven’s accidental use of Quinn’s name in last year’s Fearless. But it’s probably too soon for that—maybe in the next couple of years?

Once I saw what Mr. Parsons was doing on the phone, I muttered to myself (and texted a friend) that “Quinn’s getting all the mileage he can out of the research he did for Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge.” More power to him, obviously, but it did feel a little like a re-run. Thankfully, the story went in a very different direction—as I assumed it would, but still. In fact, while this might have been the result of the same research, the nature of the phone scam was different enough to shut me up.

I’m not sure that Weatherly handled things as well as she could’ve, but I’m not bothered by an imperfect character—she can be as flawed as Bernie. But that was the only hitch I found in this book or the events in it.

I really appreciated the depth we see of Bernie’s character, an angle or two that we haven’t spent that much time looking at before—we get to focus on. There’s more to him than being a decent PI with a lousy approach to finances. And if how he treats the Parsons doesn’t make your heart melt a little, you weren’t paying attention.

We get the usual chuckles (including Chet giving the reader a good idea about what he thinks about legalized marijuana), a good story, all the feels I described above (and more), and some good action scenes. What more is there to ask for?

Nothing that I can think of.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Some Further Thoughts about The White Door by Pierce Taylor Hibbs

By HCNewton

On August 4, 2024

In Fantasy, Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Theology/Christian Living

The White Door

by Pierce Taylor Hibbs

DETAILS:
Publisher: Truth Ablaze
Publication Date: August 15, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 484 pg.
Read Date: July 7-20, 2024

Obviously, this will make more sense if you’ve read my original post about The White Door. And I should add that these are just thoughts that’ve come to mind as I’ve continued to chew on this book. I’m not making a full argument here, or anything like that. Some ruminations is all. (the conclusion is particularly weak, if you ask me, because I am just ruminating. )

One thing readers really like to do is to try to determine what they can about a novelist’s beliefs, points of view, and whatnot from the way things in their novel(s) are depicted. Frequently, some of the theories are pretty out there—and even those that are closer to reality are limited and have some noteworthy flaws.

That’s not the case with this book—Hibbs has already written a good number of non-fiction books showing his views on a number of ideas and topics. So readers of this novel have a different task before them (if they’re of a mind to wonder about these things)—how are Hibbs’ ideas depicted and brought to “life” in this novel? Are they at all? I haven’t read all of Hibbs’ previous work (yet), but I’ve read a number of his books and thought about them while reading the novel.

An obvious point here is that the protagonist, Seth, has an anxiety disorder, not unlike the one that Hibbs talked about in Struck Down but Not Destroyed: Living Faithfully with Anxiety. But there are plenty of other places you can see Hibbes’ previous writing.

In my original post, I said a couple of things that I want to return to. The first is:

…there are two doors (in places that have no business having doors, see McGuire’s Wayward Children series for examples). A white one and a black one—those who walk through them are changed. What, and how, they see is altered in ways that say a lot more about the doors than anything else.

The second thing is:

First of all, anyone who’s read much of Hibbs is going to recognize his thinking here. Narnia, Seth, and Cleft sound like they’ve studied Hibbs’ work (ignoring the anachronism there)—which is good. If only so you know that you’re supposed to think they’re on the right path. Other characters largely sound ilke they’re on their way to sounding that way, too.

Two of Hibbs’ books that came to mind were Finding God in the Ordinary and In Divine Company: Growing Closer to the God Who Speaks.

The part of In Divine Company* that came to mind in The White Door was:

We live in what I have called a worded world, a world that everywhere reveals something about the God who made it, a world that, in a sense, “speaks” about God.

* He also has a book called The Speaking Trinity and His Worded World that probably does a better job of explaining this point and expanding on it, but I haven’t read that one yet.

In Finding God in the Ordinary, Hibbs quotes John Calvin:

Whichever way we turn our eyes, there is no part of the world, however small, in which at least some spark of God’s glory does not shine. In particular, we cannot gaze upon this beautiful masterpiece of the world, in all its length and breadth, without being completely dazzled, as it were, by an endless flood of light. Accordingly, in Hebrews, the apostle aptly calls the world the mirror of things invisible, because the structure of the world serves as a mirror in which we behold God, who otherwise can not be seen (Heb 11:3).

Calvin influenced Hibbs on this point, and you can see it in the rest of that book. Let me bring up a few other short quotations from the book along those lines:

if we do not search for God in the ordinary, we do not perceive the world as it truly is. God has revealed that his entire creation manifests his character.

The whole earth, every crevice of creation, has been endowed by God himself with a revelatory component. We can choose to ignore this component if we wish, but then we will not be seeing the world as it truly is. We will be seeing a world of our own making.

if we do not search for God in the ordinary, we will miss very precious parts of life.

The tagline on the cover of The White Door is: “To enter is to see.” This is part of what I meant by “What, and how, they see is altered.” Both Roland (Cleft’s steward dog) and Cleft call those who’ve gone through the White Door “gazers”*

* I called them “seekers” in my original post. Oops. Why do I take notes, if I’m not going to look at them while writing?

These people gaze upon the world in a clearer fashion than they have before as if a film had been cleared off what they see. They see things in a new way—able to seek God in the ordinary, perceiving the world as it truly is. Not completely—and not necessarily all in the same way. Yet, their vision is better. They see things that others do not/cannot.

Now, walking through this door is in some way analogous of or is an allegory of regeneration. I have questions about it (as I talked about before), and I’m not sure if that’s because I misunderstood something or if Hibbs was unclear (I fully expect the former, but I think it’s the latter).* Regardless, that’s the case. Given “eyes to see and ears to hear,” these gazers see things that others don’t. In our world, it’s because darkened eyes don’t think of it, and renewed eyes need to be taught it (so we get books like Finding God in the Ordinary and teaching along those lines)—but when we know we can see the world, the skies, and nature in general declaring the glory of God—we, like those gazers, do see things others don’t.

* To paraphrase Mr. Simon, when I get something wrong, I’m the first to admit it, the last one to know-ow-ow-ow.

On the other hand, those who walk through the Black Door also have their sight altered. As you might imagine, it’s not as beneficial—but that’s all I’m going to say about that.

I really appreciate the way that Hibbs put “flesh” on his arguments from other books in this novel—not just for a good way to solidify it in the minds of his non-fiction readers, but to provoke his novel’s readers to consider how that piece of fiction might apply to their lives.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Author: HCNewton Page 17 of 537

NonFiction

Fiction

What’s The Last Shield About?

Shields

The Die Hard-Ness of it All

So, what did I think about The Last Shield?

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What kinds of things have caught your eye lately?

What’s A Farewell to Arfs About?

Charlie and Esmé

Bernie’s Past

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

So, what did I think about A Farewell to Arfs?

What’s Red Dead’s History About?

Historical Accuracy of the Game

The West

The Deep South

Southern Appalachia

So, what did I think about Red Dead’s History?

What’s A Farewell to Arfs About?

Charlie and Esmé

Bernie’s Past

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

So, what did I think about A Farewell to Arfs?