Category: Fiction Page 306 of 341

Hardcover, 271 pg.
Viking Adult, 2006
Read: Feb. 11-13, 2014

Granted, I took too long to get back to this series, so it’s possible that my memory is more of the TV show than The Cold Dish, but I think I remember it well enough to say that Death Without Company has a more enjoyable, casual feel throughout than its predecessor did.

Which isn’t to say this is a laugh riot, or silly — Johnson is no Evanovich. But the atmosphere of the book, the relationships between Vic, the Ferg, Henry, Cady and Walt are effortless, they feel like coworkers and friends. So even when the bodies start to pile up, the external pressures mount, and answers are in short supply, there’s an ease to things that make the book more entertaining than it could’ve been. Even as Sheriff, Walt still comes across as deferential and secondary to his former boss Lucian Connally (though he doesn’t hesitate to put his foot down when necessary).

When Lucian tells Walt in no uncertain terms that a death in the retirement home he lives in is not from natural causes, he has to investigate. Even if he’s not entirely convinced. It’s not too much of a spoiler to say that Lucian’s right — otherwise, we wouldn’t have a novel to read. Which takes Walt on a journey through the the murky history of both one of Walt’s oldest friends and the area he calls home — this time with a different minority group as the focus (though the Rez and its inhabitants are always lurking around in the background).

There’s a new romantic interest in these pages — as well as a couple of new deputies for Absaroka County (the particular skill set of one of these is a bit too deus ex machina-y for my tastes, but he’s so likable, who cares?). Throw in the kind of snow storm you can only get in rural Wyoming (or areas like it) and some brushes with Indian spirituality, and you get a distinctive kind of mystery novel, making the adventures of Walt Longmire and his cohorts the kind of story you can get nowhere else. It won’t take me as long to come back to this series next time.

I had no idea where to fit this into the review, but I thought Walt’s observation deserved to be repeated — due to its wisdom as well as the way it’s phrased:

Everything to do with women is foolish, and, therefore, absolutely essential.

—–

3.5 Stars

Dusted Off: Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

By HCNewton

On March 3, 2014

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

by Truman Capote
Paperback, 178 pg.
Vintage International, 1993
Read: Jun. 24, 2012

Am not sure why this one resonates with so many, why it’s so acclaimed, but it is. For the most part, the narrative left me cold, as did the characters.

Capote’s descriptions on the other hand…great stuff, delicious writing there. Made it worth my while, but I can’t imagine I’ll be back for more.

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Drop by Michael Connelly

By HCNewton

On March 3, 2014

In Authors, Fiction, Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Drop

by Michael Connelly
Series: Harry Bosch, #17

Paperback, 448 pg.
Grand Central Publishing, 2012
Read: Jun. 23-25, 2012

How does he do it? How does someone as accomplished as Connelly continually top himself? Equaling himself would be a tough act (and not one he always pulls off), but topping himself? Inhuman.

This was gripping (duh). This was harrowing (duh). The suspense was there, the intrigue was thick (duh). What was shown about the human condition should cause anyone to reflect (duh). All of that is par for the course for Connelly and Harry Bosch.

But this one…the depravity, Harry’s reaction to it–not just the bad guys, but the politics surrounding the cases…hit harder than normal. You can really feel for Bosch in this one, you can curse his mistakes (and even the right things he did that don’t feel so right), but the closing chapters carry a kind of emotional weight that Bosch novels normally don’t.

This is Connelly at his best. Looking forward to the next time he tops himself.

—–

5 Stars

Chimera by Kelly Meding

By HCNewton

On February 26, 2014

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Chimera

by Kelly Meding
ePub, 242 pages
Pocket Star, 2013
Read: Feb. 14-25, 2015

Chimera

a first-person account of super-hero life from an under-represented type of Super-Hero — Check!
Personal conflicts, Personal demons, general turmoil — moreso than most X-Men, even — heroes that carry emotional scars in addition to those earned in battle — Check!
Impending Government Persecution of Super-Heroes — Check!
A sex scene that goes on far too long for comfort — but is thankfully easily skippable — Check!

Yup. Chimera is a MetaWars book. It carries all the marks.

Renee Duval, aka Flex, is the focus this time around. She and a notorious ex-Bane have been dispatched to investigate a series of thefts that have to be being carried out by one or more teen Metas. With the threat of officially sanctioned internment of Metas hovering over them, the last thing the Rangers need is some punk kids bringing down the heat on them and any other law-abiding Meta. So Renee and Chimera have their work cut out for them — particularly considering that Renee’s doing her best to hang on to her anti-Bane sentiment, far after the rest of her team is softening. What they discover is unsettling for them, and doesn’t exactly fill the reader with a sense of joy, either.

One the one hand, I get Meding’s motive for varying P.O.V. characters in each book — and in many ways, I prefer this to the books that jump P.O.V. every chapter or so. But it’s also a weakness — for example — Trance was our entry into this world, we saw it all through her eyes. But we don’t get a whole lot of Trance any more — and what we do is just in brief bursts of conversation, and we don’t get the same impression of, knowledge of, experience of her. Still, Flex is a strong, yet flawed character, and it was nice to get in her head.

Plenty of action, some solid character growth, good plot advancement — Chimera is another good installment in a very satisfactory series. For a dystopian future, there’s something welcoming about this world, and I enjoy any time I get to spend in it. This book took me a freakishly long time to finish. That’s not a reflection on the character(s), the story, or the author — I was apparently busier and more tired than I realized until I saw just how long I’d spent reading the book (I’m not so unaware to not notice it was taking me awhile, just didn’t see how long I was taking). It was a good read, an engaging read.

—–

3.5 Stars

Dusted Off: The Girl in the Steel Corset

By HCNewton

On February 24, 2014

In Fiction, Steampunk, YA/MG/Children's Books

The Girl in the Steel Corset

by Kady Cross
Hardcover, 473 pg.
Harlequin Teen, 2011
Read: June 26-27, 2012

When I started this, I kept thinking, “this is the steampunk version of Twilight.” A good, fun read, but nothing to get too excited about. But as I read on, I started thinking that less and less. Maybe because it was getting better, maybe because I just got into the story fully. Doesn’t matter.

Midly predictable plot, but entertainingly told. The characters are engaging and frustrating (in a way that serves to underline how much you like them). The steam-tech is fun and well thought out. The whole super-power thing? Very well executed. Super Powers and Steampunk? That’s some peanut butter you can get in my chocolate, anytime.

Fun, fun, read–with a good jump start to the sequel.

—–

3.5 Stars

Dusted Off: The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

By HCNewton

On February 24, 2014

In Authors, Craig Johnson, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Walt Longmire

The Cold Dish

by Craig Johnson
Series: Walt Longmire, #1

Paperback, 400 pg.
Penguin Books, 2006
Read: June 28-30, 2012

It’s hard to believe this is a first novel. I love it when that happens. Johnson is assured in his writing, he knows his characters and their world, there’s no mistaking that.

It’s not a fast-paced tale by any means–Johnson saunters through his prose like Longmire would through the world. That doesn’t mean it’s not gripping, though. It’s lush with detail, as scenic and expansive as the Wyoming country it takes place in.

I figured out whodunit pretty quickly, but it took a while to get the why. The journey to the why was compelling, interesting and well worth the time. Looking forward to the next installment.

—–

4 Stars

Hide by Lisa Gardner

By HCNewton

On February 21, 2014

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

Hide

by Lisa Gardner
Hardcover, 313 pg.
Bantam, 2007
Read: Dec. 21, 2013

D. D. Warren is back for her second adventure, and second time being overshadowed by supporting character, Bobby Dodge. They’re reunited by a crime scene that’s decades old and contains multiple bodies of little girls — the chamber they’re found in is worthy of Thomas Harris or Val McDermid, and will immediately grab the reader’s attention (or turn them off to the book straightaway).

Soon after the news hits the press, a young woman comes forward claiming that they’ve misidentified one of the girls, as she’s the actual Annabelle Granger. The tale she tells convinces the detectives (mostly), and provides fuel for their investigation. I won’t get into Annabelle’s story — it’s worth checking out the novel just for it — but it’s at once totally believable and preposterous.

Dodge and Warren face many obstacles along their way — both from the past and present. And following the crooked path to the killer — and Annabelle’s real history — is more complicated and dangerous than anyone would expect. Including crossing paths with Catherine Rose Gagnon (from the previous volume, Alone). The last couple of chapters will keep you turning the pages as quickly as you can.

This is twisted, creepy, disturbing, suspenseful, and not very predictable (although I realized who the bad guy was a long time before the Warren or Dodge did). While I don’t know that it excels in any of these areas, it delivers what it promises. In short, it’s a good read. I’ll be back, and not just to see if Warren ever gets the prime narrative spot in her eponymous series.

—–

3 Stars

Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

By HCNewton

On February 18, 2014

In Fiction

Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells
Series: Prospero’s War, #2

Paperback, 381 pg.
Orbit, 2014
Read: February 15-17, 2014

Kate Prospero is a tough cop, scraping by, raising her kid brother with the help of her best bud and a kindly senior citizen neighbor. Her troubled past has so far blocked her from progressing out of uniform and the detective ranks — but she’s got grit, determination, and hope — not to mention an unreliable automobile and a healthy tuition bill for her brother’s private high school.

I know I’ve read and/or seen this a couple dozen times. So does Jaye Wells do something to freshen this up? And does her take on this work? Yes, and pretty much.

Wells’ twist on this is introducing magic into the mix. It’s our world, but instead of Big Tobacco and the Pharmaceutical Industry exploding in the last few decades, while their less than legal counterparts were finding similar success — “clean” (read: legal) and “dirty” (read: illegal) magic came into economic ascendancy. There’s a Magic Enforcement Agency running the war on dirty drugs on the federal level, while Prospero and her brethren in blue take the battle to the streets.

That pretty much tells you all you need to know. The book plays out pretty much how you’d imagine it would. Well-told and decently-paced, there’s nothing to object to here (well, some of Prospero’s emotional reactions seem a bit over-wrought, though your results may vary) — but there’s nothing to get terribly excited about either.

It’s an entertaining enough read, and I’m curious about where Wells will take things. But I don’t know that I’ll run for the bookstore come August when the sequel, Cursed Moon comes out.

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Doc by Mary Doria Russell

By HCNewton

On February 17, 2014

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Western

Doc

by Mary Doria Russell
Hardcover, 394 pg.
Random House, 2013
Read: June 9-13, 2012

I was almost 100 pages into this novel when the thought occurred to me how extraordinarily careful Russell was in the way she put this together. Not that I think most authors are sloppy or anything, but the effort to make sure every piece, every word, every event was placed juuuust so was very evident.

The result of all this care is a heckuva novel about the years and events leading up to Wyatt & Morgan Earp heading to Tombstone with their good buddy Doc Holliday. Warm, exciting, brutal–this novel reads like a fast-paced biography. Really, really well written–there are a couple of times that Russell overplays her hand and gets downright manipulative, and at least once she almost lost me while doing so.

I’m glad I stuck it out tho’, the climax was as heart-breaking as it was heart-warming, and the coda put a nice little bow on the whole thing. Well worth the time and effort.

—–

4 Stars

The Bat by Joe Nesbø

By HCNewton

On February 14, 2014

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

The Bat

by Jo Nesbø
Paperback, 369 pg.
Random House, 2012
Read: Dec. 28, 2013

Um. Really? This is the international publishing sensation that has so many people (including non-mystery readers)? Is it just that Nesbø is profiting from being as Scandinavian as Stieg Larsson? I don’t get it.

While I wouldn’t call this anything special, The Bat is a perfectly adequate book about your typical dysfunctional cop with substance abuse issues and internal demons working a tough case, falling for someone who knew the victim, letting said substances and demons mess things up, before cracking the case at great personal cost. I know that seems spoilery, but it’s not — the writing’s on the wall within a couple of chapters.

It was a pleasant enough way to pass a few hours, and I’ll probably pick up one or to more in the series, just to see if I get the fuss. But if you’re wondering if you should read The Bat, I’d shrug and point you to a handful of other works. Go ahead and read it, but don’t make it a priority.

I really am curious — has anyone read further on? Do they improve? What nugget of greatness did I miss?

—–

3 Stars