Category: Fiction Page 319 of 351

Hardcover, 432 pg.
Thomas Dunne Books, 2013
Read: Dec. 6-13, 2013

It’s a law that the second part of a trilogy is going to be darker in tone than the rest and will leave things in a precarious position. The mark of a really good second part of a trilogy is that even as you expect that, the tone and direness of the events affect you as they ought, and don’t just seem as ways to advance the overall story arcs to get through the third installment.

Kristoff’s Kinslayer delivered on that. And then some — I’m not sure where I expected/wanted things to go following the calamitous events at the close of Stormdancer — obviously there’d be fighting between the Guild, the Kagé rebellion, and various groups trying to fill the void left by the death of Yoritomo. And, of course, Buruu and Yukiko would be smack dab in the middle of it. Beyond that, I really had no idea.

Which is fine and dandy, because I was pretty wrong — yes, there’s conflict between the Kagé, the Lotus Guild and various Shōgun, but not all-out warfare (mostly). And for the bulk of the novel, Yukiko and Buruu aren’t directly involved in that story — they are off on an important quest on their own, their storylines intersect with the rest at the beginning and end of the novels (like Luke and R2 off to Dagobah in another noted second part of a trilogy).

Don’t get me wrong — it’s not all doom and gloom. There are more than a few chuckles, some fun times to be read here. Early on in the book, I wrote the note, “the conversations between Yukiko and Buruu are fantastic — the playfulness, the teasing, the love — it’s like Temeraire with snark.” But then things started to turn — in the capitol, in the Kagé wilderness and even with the thunder tiger and his stormdancer. Yukiko is having trouble controlling her powers, there’s division in the rebellion’s ranks, and it seems that nobody in the capitol is telling the truth to anyone about anything. Betrayal courses through this novel. It’s raw and powerful.

What makes all the betrayal effective isn’t how it moves the plots forward, but because with established and new characters, Kristoff has created characters you can believe, characters you can empathize with, identify with, care about — no matter their allegiance in the conflicts. So that when plans go awry, trust is broken, loved ones abandoned (or worse), it matters to the audience.

True to form, things are bleak — if not worse — as the novel closes, but Kristoff has set the stage for something very exciting, and many things that I’m not even going to pretend to predict. Can’t wait for what’s next.

Lastly, I am indebted to Kristoff for the Character Reference pages at the beginning and wish that more serial fiction people did something like that — an easy way to re-orient yourself in this strange world. If only there was a pronunciation guide, too. But now I’m getting greedy.

—–

5 Stars

Dusted Off: A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn

By HCNewton

On December 30, 2013

In Authors, Chet and Bernie, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, P-U, Spencer Quinn

A Fistful of Collars

by Spencer Quinn
Series: Chet and Bernie, #5

Hardcover, 320 pg.
Atria Books, 2012

Little makes me as happy as a good Chet & Bernie story — and this one fits the bill. Quinn avoids some of the pitfalls of his other books — certain scenes/plot points that are becoming more than threadbare are absent here.

The main storyline was pretty predictable, but it was well — and entertainingly — executed. The subplots are the key to this one, and most of those were handled deftly.

Good, solid entry in this series with one of the best narrative voices around — give this one a read!

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinn

By HCNewton

On December 30, 2013

In Authors, Chet and Bernie, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, P-U, Spencer Quinn

To Fetch a Thief

by Spencer Quinn
Series: Chet and Bernie, #3

Hardcover, 307 pg.
Atria Books, 2010

What can I say about this? Read it. Love this series. At this point, I think the only “voice” I enjoy reading more in this world than Chet is Archie Goodwin, and Chet’s still with us, so he could pass Archie.

On my first read, I didn’t love it as much as the first — but slightly more than the second — in this series. I think Quinn did a bit more with Bernie’s character than he has in the past — Bernie could probably carry his own story w/o Chet now (Heaven Forbid). Less Suzie, more Charlie and the ex. Good subplot involving the latter two.

Good mystery, nice action, etc. like always. I just love these books, wish I could articulate it better and get more folks to read ’em.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Tempest by Kelly Meding

By HCNewton

On December 30, 2013

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Tempest

by Kelly Meding
ebook, 384 pg.
Pocket Star, 2013

Dynamite! Likely the best of a really good series. Again, we have a different protagonist/1st person narrator going on a voyage of personal discovery while battling some bad guys and further exploring this world that Meding’s created. And tho’ that’s the same M.O. as the other books in the series, she pulls it off so that it feels fresh. No mean feat there.

I really liked this guy and his story, and am ready for the next book

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

By HCNewton

On December 23, 2013

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

What a miserable book! Harry Morgan is an almost thoroughly despicable character in a pointless book full of sad, pathetic and incomplete plots. I think I can see where Hemingway was trying to stretch as an author, the multiple perspectives he writes from here is a different approach for him (one that doesn’t succeed too well), for example. But I thought this failed utterly.

Towards the end of the book, there’s a few pages where Hemingway gives us snapshots of various characters aboard different boats in the marina — all of whom we only see here in a few paragraphs — I thought this was effective, light years beyond the rest of the novel. It felt quite out of place, a diamond in the rough. (which may suggest it wasn’t as good as I thought, it just seemed so much better — I don’t think that’s the case, but it’s possible)

Oh, this also featured possibly the least erotic sex scene I’ve read this side of Tom Wolfe (actually, may be worse than Wolfe). Nothing to make hay about there, just thought I’d note it as it really bugged me.

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: In Pursuit of Spenser, Otto Penzler, ed.

By HCNewton

On December 23, 2013

In Authors, Robert B. Parker, Spenser

In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero

by Otto Penzler
Paperback, 247 pg.
Smart Pop, 2012

I loved this book.

It has been years since I’ve read a festschrift–and this is the only one I’ve read that wasn’t about a figure in the Presbyterian/Reformed tradition. I’d forgotten how nice they can be.

It was like hanging out with a bunch of articulate friends talking about our dearly departed friend/mentor/idol. Insightful, occasionally moving, occasionally factually wrong (extreme fanboy alert)–a great tribute to Dr. Parker.

—–

5 Stars

U is for Undertow – Sue Grafton

By HCNewton

On December 19, 2013

In Authors, Fiction, Kinsey Millhone, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Sue Grafton

U is for Undertow

by Sue Grafton
Series: Kinsey Millhone, #21

Hardcover, 416 pg.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2009

Grafton again goes for a multi-perspective, bouncing back and forth between Kinsey’s present and the case’s past approach to this book. It weaved an interesting arc, once you put all the pieces together. I see why she’s using it, I appreciate the skill, but it’s a trick she’s relying on too often, I fear. It’s starting to dull the effectiveness.

This wasn’t a typical case for Kinsey — other than the cold-case nature of it, which she seems to do a lot of lately. A missing persons case this time, brought to her by — never mind, it’d take to long to explain, you’re better off hearing it from the client.

Typically, in a PI/mystery novel, you get hardened criminals, seemingly destined for it since birth — sadists, psychopaths, just generally mean people, that sort of thing. But really, crimes are probably just as often perpetrated by the stupid, the bored, the desperate — it’s good to have reminders of that. It’s also entertaining, because it’s the last people you’d think to look for, so when someone like that pops up in a book, it’s refreshing.

I did really appreciate the self-aware flash of insight Kinsey has while listening to someone unloading a well rehearsed recital of family sins against her. Kinsey sees what she must sound like to others when she does so. Not often that someone as self-assured as she is has such a moment of clarity, and it’s nice to see that Kinsey’s capable of it.

Even better is that this insight led to a very promising leap forward in the ongoing story about Kinsey’s estranged family.

Oh, as an added bonus…there’s some pretty helpful writing advice tucked away in here.

Another worthy entry in this long-running series, not much else to say, really.

—–

4 Stars

Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach

By HCNewton

On December 18, 2013

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Fortune’s Pawn

by Rachel Bach
Paperback, 320 pg.
Orbit, 2013

I’d planned on starting off here by saying, “there are shades of Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax books here, but just shades.” Then listing off a few other things this reminded of. But I abandoned that because that list was getting too long — and I don’t want to paint Bach’s work as totally derivative. Which I never thought about until I started thinking about it — it feels like any number of SF (and even Fantasy) worlds, yes, but Fortune’s Pawn is it’s own world. The fact that it feels familiar just allows the reader to skip all the world-building, all the “this is how we travel great distances without taking generations” stuff, etc.; and just cut to the story.

Devi Morris is a mercenary with ambition and dreams — she’s got her eyes set on joining the elite of the elite and will whatever it takes to get there, as fast as possible. Which leads her to a tour on a notorious ship — its activities may not be the most legal, and the security forces on it see more action than anyone else. But when she’s done, she’ll be light years’ closer to her goal. Along the way, she gets to do what she loves — drink more than a little, chum around with the ship’s cook, berate her partner and bust a few heads. All in all, just what she’s looking for.

Naturally, things don’t stay that way — things get mysterious, spooky and even pretty impossible. Not so fun for Devi, lots of fun for the reader.

The supporting characters are interesting and well drawn, the universe that Devi calls home is familiar enough for comfort, distinctive enough to be interesting. There’s some humor, some good fight scenes, odd alien races/manners, a splash of something like romance, pretty much everything you’d like in a novel. The major plot complications that show up at the end are more than enough to get me eager for the second volume of the trilogy — and, most likely, the third.

—–

3 Stars

Explostive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

By HCNewton

On December 17, 2013

In Authors, Fiction, Janet Evanovich, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Stephanie Plum

I swear this isn’t turning into all Evanovich all the time (if for no other reason, than I haven’t read any more). Just needed to clear out a backlog yesterday.

—–

Explosive Eighteen

by Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum, #18

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pg.
Bantam, 2012

Stephanie Plum novels are starting to remind me of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? — a couple of real, flesh and blood people, surrounded on every side by cartoons. Which can be amusing enough, I guess, but I’m afraid it’s going to go too far one day soon.

The best part of this book — both in terms of Stephanie the crime fighter and Stephanie the one angle in a triangle — takes place entirely prior to this novel — but its impact shapes a lot of this one. That’ll make sense if you read the book, otherwise, sorry.

Still, there’s a lot to like in this one — there’s an ambition to the story that’s not common to the Plum books. Between the FBI and the various criminal enterprises represented, this could be a compelling gritty story in another series. Evanovich is at her best when balancing the serious with the silly — and in the main story, she achieves that this go ’round.

Of course, the amount of Joyce Barnhardt in this one is enough to put me off, and Lula’s plot is dumber than normal. Vinnie skews more towards the criminally stupid than the disgusting, so I think that’s a plus. But on the whole, the parts of this that have nothing to do with the aftermath of Hawaii and her flight home, drag this one down.

I spent a good deal of time while reading this trying to figure out what Joe or Ranger see in Stephanie — or vice versa. I got no closer to an answer than I have before. But really? There’s so little between these people.

Still, fun enough to justify the time.

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

By HCNewton

On December 16, 2013

In Authors, Fiction, Janet Evanovich, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Stephanie Plum

Lean Mean Thirteen

by Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum, #13

Mass Market Paperback, 330 pg.
St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 2008

In the 14th book, many series are showing their age, getting annoyingly repetitive/derivative…and just dull. Not Stephanie Plum (‘tho you could make the case that some of the earlier books did). Really, really good read–fun, complicated case. Not too slapstick-y (there is still slapstick–it is a Plum book)–no time at a mortuary (yay!), even Joyce adds something to the storyline (which she hasn’t done in ages).

Action, laughs, a wee bit o’ character development–all in all, a solid Plum adventure. One of Evanovich’s best.

—–

4 Stars