4 Stars - The Irresponsible Reader

The Shadow of Christ in the Book of Lamentations by C.J. Williams: Finding the Hope of the Gospel in the Laments

DETAILS:
Publisher: Crown & Covenant Publications
Publication Date: November 25, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 172 pg.
Read Date: February 5-12, 2023

The people had been warned about this day of judgement for centuries, but as God pleaded with them through the prophets, they became more stubborn in their sin. Now the day had come. If there was ever an “I told you so” moment, this was it. But the speaker does not stand aloof; he gives a voice to the sorrow and suffering of the people. He wept with them and for them with sympathy that arose from the depth of his soul. Although the people had brought this terrible day upon themselves, they were met with compassion and “a spirit of gentleness” with which we are to minister to those who are overtaken in any trespass (Gal. 6:1).

What’s The Shadow of Christ in the Book of Lamentations About?

Based on a series of sermons, Williams walks the reader through the book of Lamentations—in a careful manner. He doesn’t avoid technical points, nor does he dwell on them, moving the book in an esoteric direction. At the same time, he doesn’t keep it so simple that there’s not a lot to learn, to think about, or to meditate on.

As the back of the book says,

The book of Lamentations counsels us on how to:

respond to hardships with faith,

grieve with hope,

and find the renewal of grace during the trials of life.

and Williams is careful to draw out each of these points more than once.

But that’s not the focus of his book—and, Williams would argue, it’s not the focus of Lamentations. The focus is on how Christ is displayed and revealed through this short Old Testament book. This comes through loud and clear and proves comforting and inspiring.

Christ-Centered Perspective

When seen in this light, a book that technically has no direct speech from God comes alive with the voice of the Son whom he would send.

Starting in the introduction and carrying on through the end, Williams makes it clear that this is going to be a Christ-centered book because the role of this book is to reveal Christ to his people. There is a speaker throughout the book, referring to himself as “I.” Williams argues that this is the voice of Christ—he is the lamenting one alongside the other voices in the book.

I’m not going to try to echo his arguments—I don’t have that kind of space. But when he started to enfold it, I was captivated—and as he returned to it throughout the book, I kept being captivated and wanted to spend more time examining these points.

So, what did I think about The Shadow of Christ in the Book of Lamentations?

When believers experience hardship or the chastening of God, asking this blunt question awakens us to the truth: Has God utterly rejected us? To ask the question is to answer it. You may not know how any hardship will end, but as a child of God, you know how it will not end. Nothing can Separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39).

The conclusion of Lamentations shows us that there js always a path forward when we walk with faith.

Of all the prophetic books, Lamentations is the one that has always resonated with me the most—but I always knew I was missing something about it. Starting in Chapter 2 (where he begins his argument for the Voice of Christ in this book), so many lightbulbs turned on—I know Christ was revealed in this book (as he is everywhere), but I didn’t understand how thoroughly the book did that.

I’m not for one second suggesting that this is an exhaustive treatment of the book, nor that Williams is the final answer when it comes to this idea—but it’s a fantastic place to start.

The rest of the book was just as good—I walked away from every chapter with a better understanding of or refreshed appreciation for the text.

If you’re looking for a trustworthy guide to this dark portion of Scripture (that is also full of light and hope), you’d do well to look to C.J. Williams.

4 Stars

The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano by K.R.R. Lockhaven: Exactly What the Title Says

By HCNewton

On February 20, 2023

In Fantasy, Fiction

I didn’t think I had much to say about this book until I was about halfway finished with the post and realized I was nowhere near done with it. I’m not certain it’s all that coherent now, but it’s done, or as close to done as I can get without another two-three days to tweak it and wring all the stream-of-consciousness out of it.

The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano

by K.R.R. Lockhaven

DETAILS:
Series: The Azure Archipelago, #2
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Publication Date: January 20, 2023
Format: e-Book
Length: 313 pg.
Read Date: February 13-15, 2023

What’s The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano About?

It’s been a year or so since the events of MD&D* when we rejoin our friends on Adventure Ship as they pay a quick visit to Azure’s father.

*I’m just not going to refer to these books with their logorrheic titles, I’m just using initials. And to be snotty, I’m taking out all the T’s.

The visit is cut short when Azure receives a job offer—getting the Marauders a reliable flow of income is Azure’s top priority and it’s not going well. A raven named Sir Terry brings this lucrative offer to her and they have to jump on it—the fact he gets such an auspicious name, tells you how much we’re going to see Sir Terry for the next couple of books, I think. The Mauraders are on a hunt for buried treasure on behalf of the man who buried it and cannot seem to find it. For those thinking about the title, the treasure is buried near a volcano.

Along the way to the treasure, they get attacked by a pirate which proves to be a test of the new captain, who acquits herself well. They then discover that the treasure has been discovered by someone else very recently—requiring the titular heist. They also find the foundling—a young girl who stumbled into this world from Earth (getting her home also requires the titular heist). The girl isn’t the only one who came to this world from Earth—later on, a gargoyle on the hunt for a certain dragon does, too.

That’s a lot for a novel to tackle in 313 pages—but Azure and the Mauraders are up to it. Probably.

Before I Dive Into the Book

Pre-Chapter One, Lockhaven gives us a recap of the first novel. This is to be commended, and I try to make a point of saying it when any author does this because it needs to become a standard.

He gets bonus points for having a character do it in a very organic way, helping the reader get back into the feel of things in addition to remembering the events.

The Foundling

Oh, boy. I don’t know if I can remember a more adorable kid in fiction than Oriana.* It took me a freakishly small amount of time to fall under her charms—she’s brave, she’s sweet, she’s adaptable, she’s resilient, and she’s incredibly vulnerable.

* Oh, okay. Maggie Dresden. But it’s close.

The reactions of the crew—especially Elijah and Azure—to her are believable and do a great job of enforcing what the reader is already thinking about her.

What strikes me about Oriana is that really, Lockhaven doesn’t spend that much time on her—it’s actually largely the reactions of others to her that endear her to the reader. All the Maurauders take her in, Elijah dotes on her, but it’s Azure thinking about her, attempting the heist to get her home, and (being incredibly vague) going through a lot of introspection because of her. It’s through that that the reader really makes the connection to Oriana—as Azure and the others grow in their affection for her, so does the reader.

The Heist

It seems that people associated with a casino on Mirth Island took both the treasure and a tool that would return Oriana to her home (not recognizing it for what it is). Azure foolishly/full of belief in the goodness of people asks the Casino owner for them back. He takes a quick break from twirling his mustache to refuse her, so she has to come up with a new solution. One more suited for the Marauders.

I’m not sure why either Lockhaven or Azure bothered with that—although it does give us a chance to meet the owner, Mr. Pierce, and look around a bit at the Casino. Pierce—and the people (and the falcon) who work for him are pretty despicable—they have ties to Gov. Pratt, and display the species-ism and sexism we’d associate with the former governor, with a heaping side-order of avarice. Not that the reader wouldn’t have been cheering for the Marauders to succeed in their extra-legal efforts to get the property back, but Lockhaven makes sure that we have no sympathy for him.

The design of the heist itself is pretty clever—and Azure has definitely watched or read her fair share of stage plays and novels about them (or listened to epic songs about them?)—and draws on those to design her plan. Sure, it resembles a Rube Goldberg device, but if it works, it’ll be a thing of beauty. Like a good Rube Goldberg device. If it doesn’t…

The Volcano

Well, yeah, there’s a volcano. There’s not much more to say. It’s been dormant for a while now, but it’s waking up at the point we encounter it—and it gets closer and closer to being very not-dormant as the story progresses.

It honestly doesn’t play as much of a role in the novel as I expected, but it does play an important role—and it does loom over most of the novel.

The Ending

So MD&D wrapped up nicely—it really could’ve been a stand-alone and that would’ve been fine. Readers would definitely want more with these characters, but that’s just because we’re greedy when it comes to things that make us feel good and characters we like. There was nothing in it that demanded a sequel.

That is not at all the case with FH&V. Yes, there’s the greedy reader, feel-good stories, likable characters, etc. But that’s not what I’m talking about. There are at least three things that we need another book to address. There’s one thing that will likely consume most of the action/plot of the next book, there’s something that we need to know more about and that will likely be a running subplot to the main action—and then there’s something we need to see a resolution about in the first twenty pages or so. Two cliffhangers and one thing that we’re staring down at the cliff’s edge from a safe vantage point. And we’re hanging onto a strong, but not that strong, plant with one of those cliffhangers.

So, what did I think about The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano?

By skipping ahead a year, we miss out on the early, swoony days of romance between Elijah and Azure—we’re at the committed stage, and they’re trying to figure out how to navigate their relationship. I adore this—sure, those early, swoony days can be fun—but a couple doing the work (our focus is on Azure’s internal work, but we get glimpses of Elijah doing the same) within the commitment to make things go well? That’s what I want to see. Not a relationship falling apart, in danger of it, or blossoming—I see enough of those (and I’m not saying I want those stories to go away)—but it’s people navigating life together that I can’t get enough of. While on that idea, I really should spend a few paragraphs talking about the really healthy and robust marriage between our favorite Orcs, Nargol and Orok, but I’ve blathered on too long. One of the best marriages in fantasy.

Speaking of internal work—we get a lot of that from Azure. MD&D was about her working to patch things up with her father. Here she’s coming to terms with her new position, balancing it with her relationship with Elijah, and what to do with Oriana. Oriana just being around forces Auzre to think about her mother, how she related to her, and how her mother might have been inclined early on toward a Human First philosophy.

These two things aren’t as flashy and gripping as the Heist or anything going on with Zoth-Avarex—but they add meaning and depth to the work. Ultimately, it’s more important to this series and is what is going to make these books stick around in minds of readers.

All the fun stuff of the first book—the goofy characters, the songs (fantasy songs I want to actually read and not skip), the adventures, and the antics—is back. The heist is full of slapstick and tension. Everything clicks here and will satisfy readers of the first volume.

As far as new readers? Eh, I’d start with MD&D first for context—you’d probably be okay jumping in now, but why? I don’t think I’d call this a cozy fantasy—but it’s adjacent (too much violence for cozy if I understand the term correctly, but just a tad).

Labels aside, I’d sum it up by saying that FD&V is a lighthearted fantasy with a lot of heart. But that’s mixing heart metaphors, so I won’t say that. So imagine I said something pithy like that, but without the deficiencies, okay? Then go buy the book.

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.

The Night Watch by Neil Lancaster: Lancaster Just Keeps Getting Better and Better

By HCNewton

On February 7, 2023

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

The Night Watch

by Neil Lancaster

DETAILS:
Series: DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, #3
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication Date: September 8, 2022
Format: eBook
Length: 461 pg.
Read Date: January 9-10

Being alive is dull, being dead is tedious. The transition is what counts. Watching him die made me feel more alive than I could ever describe to anyone.

What’s The Night Watch About?

After a high-profile trial, a drug dealer walks free. He and his lawyer go separate ways to celebrate and are both soon dead. Theoretically, the lawyer’s death wasn’t suspicious, but the dealer was clearly murdered. The coincidence is too much for Max and his team to believe—and they soon find the evidence to back that up. The two of them killed near the same time? That smells like a vigilante.

These weren’t the vigilante’s first two victims either. A tip from an oddly cooperative reporter puts them on the right track—the victims appear to all be connected with the same investigative team. A vigilante cop is the last thing that Craigie and the rest want to imagine—but now they have to stop the killer before they strike again.

The Killer’s POV

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned a time or twelve that I rarely find chapters from the Killer’s POV in a Detective/Procedural novel to be that effective. I figure I’m in the minority on this point—if only because authors keep using them. And after the first one in this book, I made the note, “Did we need this? Did it add anything?” and it took a while before I saw Lancaster’s point with them in this one.

But note “it took a while,” by the end—I saw (at least most of) what Lancaster was doing with these moments from the Killer’s POV. Not only did I understand the point, but I appreciated what he did with them.

So, what did I think about The Night Watch?

I’m tempted to just copy and paste what I said about the last Max Craigie book, The Blood Tide—it all fits, once I swap out the titles. The Blood Tide was a noticeable growth over everything Lancaster had written before, and The Night Watch is even better.

Some procedurals are about figuring out who did what, and some are about figuring out how to prove they did it—or apprehending them before they do something else. This is about all of those. But—like the others in this series—it’s also about the toll paid by those involved in stopping the killing.

There’s some good character development with all the characters—not just our protagonist. Although most of it is happening between novels, and we just get to see the effects—I really like that style, it’s so much easier to buy than growth in the middle of one case that takes place over a limited time.

The Night Watch had some very effective twists, some great reveals, and some genuine surprises. Yeah, I identified the killer right away—but Lancaster fooled me and I abandoned the idea—and I just love that. As always, Lancaster knows how to keep the reader turning pages because you just have to know what happens next. Basically, this is exactly what I’m looking for in a police procedural.

Wholly satisfying and it just made me more eager for the next DS Craigie book.

4 Stars

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry: A Memoir of Self-Destruction

By HCNewton

On January 23, 2023

In (Auto)Biography, Audiobook, Non-Fiction

Friends, Lovers, and the
Big Terrible Thing:
A Memoir

by Matthew Perry

DETAILS:
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: October 31, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 49 min.
Read Date: December 6-7, 2023

My mind is out to kill me, and I know it. I am constantly filled with a lurking loneliness, a yearning, clinging to the notion that something outside of me will fix me. But I had had all that the outside had to offer!

What’s Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing About?

This isn’t full of—but does contain—some good, behind-the-scenes stuff about Friends, Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, Mr. Sunshine, The Odd Couple, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and other projects. But those don’t make up the bulk of the material. And those are interesting, amusing, and support the overall thesis of the book—he’s an addict who has been blessed with more good things than he knows how to handle.

There’s some juicy (largely nameless, but you can read between the lines) bits about his love life—as the title suggests. But again, there’s not much of that overall—and those, too, serve to support the overall thesis—even more than the professional matters do.

Then there’s the Big Terrible Thing—his addictions themselves, how he got started, how he maintained them, and his several attempts to get sober (of varying successes and lengths of success). He also goes into graphic (perhaps too graphic) detail about the physical toll they’ve taken on him—and the financial, emotional, and mental toll they’ve taken on those close to him.

How Perry Comes Across

When this book first came out (or just before it) there were more than a few headlines about some (I’m going to be charitable and call them) questionable jokes he made about Keanu Reeves and some people casting doubt about some of the particulars of some of his stories. Given how impaired he was during most of those disputed events (and just about every other event he recounts), I’m not surprised he doesn’t remember them correctly, and I don’t think it should be held against him. The Reeves jokes, on the other hand, might have seemed like a good idea at the time—but his editors really should’ve stopped them. I jotted down a note after the second one that “someone at Macmillan must have it out for him to let this make it to print.”

But both of those things pale in comparison to everything that Perry admits to in this book. He doesn’t come across as a good guy at all—and I don’t think he’s trying to. Sure, the fact that he’s (seemingly) coming clean about everything and (seemingly) taking responsibility for the lies, destructive behaviors, and despicable actions might make some people want to think better of him—but I don’t think he really wants that.

He comes across—and I realize this could be entirely calculated—as someone who is being honest about his shortcomings, seeking to explain the devastation his addictions have wrought on himself and many, many of those around him—how he’s somehow managed to have some success in the midst of that. He gives credit to some of those who’ve helped him get to this point in recovery—or kept him alive long enough to get there. In the end, however, Perry’s not a good guy and doesn’t pretend to be one. He’s a mess who will very likely kill himself if he relapses a time or two more.

So, what did I think about Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing?

I’ve been a big fan of Perry’s since Friends (I can point to the joke that made me one)—I’ve seen almost everything he’s done (sometimes not because of him, but I appreciated his involvement). But I put this book under the category of “will get around to eventually, maybe.” Until I saw people reacting to how much of the focus of the book is on the Big Terrible Thing. And that piqued my interest.

That sounds ghoulish, I realize, but hearing a well-documented addict talking about their struggles is something that I appreciate. It helps me empathize with those I know fighting that fight, and I hope, helps me understand and appreciate their struggles.

Perry’s clear that he’s been given every opportunity, tool, and help to get sober and to maintain that sobriety. And he’s squandered almost every one of them. And it has yet to work. The amounts he takes on a regular basis when he uses is…it’s a shocking amount—and only someone as wealthy as he is could pull it off.

At the same time, there’s a glimmer of hope. A faint glimmer, sure. But there is one—and if someone whose rock bottom is as low as Perry’s was can maybe make it—there’s hope for others, too. And that’s the big thing I took away—there’s hope. Hope for other addicts, hope for Perry.

I thought this was a riveting and disturbing read—made tolerable by Perry’s off-kilter and somewhat humorous telling of the stories. It’s not like most celebrity memoirs I’ve read (but I don’t think it’s that ground-breaking)—but definitely worth the time.

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.

I Have a Confession: The What and Why of The Westminster Confession of Faith by Nathan Eshelman: You Get More than Your Money’s Worth in this Small Book

By HCNewton

On January 22, 2023

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

I Have a Confession:]
The What and Why of the
Westminster Confession of Faith

by Nathan Eshelman

DETAILS:
Series: The Bedrock Series 
Publisher: Grassmarket Press
Publication Date: December 12, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 136 pg. 
Read Date: January 15, 2023

What’s I Have a Confession About?

This is an introduction to the Protestant practice of confessions—specifically The Westminster of Confession of Faith.

Eshelman starts out by describing the need for confessions, and what the ecclesiological landscape in the US is like without them. Chapter two lays out “the pillar of confessionalism”—the Scriptures themselves. It’s those Scriptures that give the warrant (chapter 3) for the development and use of confessions. This is what I expected from the book, and when that ended just a little past the halfway point, I was more than a little surprised.

What comes next is truly impressive—Eshelman gives a quick, yet thorough, review of the English Reformation from Henry VIII to the 1640s and the composition of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Then he gives a very brief overview of the contents of the Confession—chapter by chapter.

So, what did I think about I Have a Confession?

Let me start with a minor and really unimportant point—I really like the look and feel of this book. It’s like a field notebook in size, weight, and feel. It works really well for the series.

I’d intended on kicking off this year by rereading R. Scott Clark’s Recovering the Reformed Confession, but a couple of things derailed that (hopefully by the year’s end), but if I couldn’t get into that work, this is a good replacement.

The design of the series is to provide “clear, concise” works on faith and life from a Reformed perspective. Eshelman gives the reader precisely that—clear and concise. Concise, easy to read, and surprisingly thorough for a book of its size.

I was very impressed with this little book—it was everything I expected and more. I’d quibble with a point or two (a couple of his illustrations made me wonder), but only minor things. This is something I’d pass out to people without a second look—and would encourage anyone looking into the idea of Protestant confessions to give it a read.

4 Stars

PUB DAY REPOST: Killer Story by Matt Witten: A Desperate Reporter Works to Solve a Sensational Murder

By HCNewton

On January 17, 2023

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

Be sure to check out this Q&A with Matt Witten—it’s a great one!

Killer Story

by Matt Witten

DETAILS:
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: December 26-27, 2022

What’s Killer Story About?

While studying journalism in school, Petra acted as a counselor for a high school journalism camp. In that role, she met and befriended a young girl named Livvy Anderson. Over the years since then, the two forged a strong friendship—almost like sisters. At some point though, the relationship faltered—in college, Livvy started posting videos online spouting (in Petra’s view) extreme right-wing politics, hateful speech, and the like. For example, she defended a star football player accused of raping a woman on campus by trashing her reputation and exposing personal details. Rather than pushing back or even arguing with her friend, Petra chilled communication, assuming it was a phase, and focused on her own work.

And it might have been a phase if Livvy hadn’t been killed. The murder was fairly sensational—it happened while Livvy was recording a video (but she paused the recording so no one saw it or the murderer). The accused killer was acquitted—and most of the country (including Petra) assumed it was a travesty of justice and that he got away with it. The Court of Public Opinion definitely found him guilty.

Years later, Petra has found herself (like most young print journalists) bouncing around from newspaper to newspaper, trying to stay employed. She’s now at a major Boston newspaper and thinks that life is stable—the subjects of her stories might not be that glamorous, but she’s working, and the big story is around the corner.

Until she’s laid off. She panics at this point—her boyfriend (who moved cross-country with her for this job, changing the course of his career) isn’t going to put up with the lack of stability much longer, and it’s going to only get harder getting a job at the rate she’s going. So she throws out a mad pitch to her editor—what if she could definitively prove who killed Olivia Anderson? She tells him this story isn’t just the kind of thing for the paper—it’d make a great podcast.

Visions of the kind of revenue that Serial and similar podcasts could bring to the paper, not to mention the publicity of this kind of story, he gives her two weeks to firm up the story, start producing the podcast, and they’ll see what happens.

Petra heads off to find the evidence she pretended to have during that meeting—and hopefully much more.

The Journalism of this Novel

I’ve talked before about how I’m a sucker for a novel about a driven journalist—typically a print journalist, too. I’m always ready, willing, and able to embrace and fall into the romance of the crusading reporter. Or just one who does the job well, without a crusade.

But those kinds of stories are getting harder to tell and to believe in our current media landscape. Not just because print journalism is dying (for worse or for worser). It’s definitely not the track that Witten takes here. Petra is desperate and acts desperately—she lies to her editor at every turn, overstating her case and the evidence she has at each step of the way. Almost every fictional reporter* cuts a corner here and there and bends a rule and the truth in pursuit of the story and/or the truth. Even thosPetra amputates corners and forces the truth about her actions into positions only the most experienced yogi can handle—at least when it comes to what she tells her editor, coworkers, the police, her boyfriend, and so on.

* Lawyers, please note that I’m not saying anything about the methods of actual reporters or the companies they work for. Please don’t sue me.

When it comes to her actual reporting, however—in print, podcast, and elsewhere—Petra is much more honest. Bowing to editorial pressure she may say something earlier than she should* and while she never lies, she sure edges close to it. Her scripts feature incredibly well-chosen words—true, but open to interpretation.

* There are a few hundred words I could write about other journalistic ethical moves here, but I’d be getting sidetracked.

The journalism—both in print and in the podcast—we see here is very likely what fills our screens and earbuds. It’s sensationalistic, click-driven, and not necessarily all that honest. It’s depressing to think about, and it’s not great to read about if you think about it in those terms—but it makes for a thrilling (and realistic) read. Still, I think I need to go watch Deadline – U.S.A. or something to restore my faith in humanity.

The Alt-Right Depiction

Thanks to Livvy’s online persona, even now, she has a good number of fans. Many of those fans are not happy about Petra’s podcast—and make that displeasure well known online. At least one goes further than that. Between them and Livvy’s videos (and other online activities), Witten has to walk a careful line—he needs to depict them in an honest and believable way without turning them into a convenient punching bag for a reader or character to spend a lot of time venting about their politics (perhaps even himself). Or, to go in the other direction, too.

I really appreciated the restraint he showed in this regard, it’d be easy to slip here, but on the whole, he simply reports on the views espoused—sure, it’s clear that Petra and her colleagues (and many of the witnesses that talk about it) disagree with Livvy and her fans/defenders, but with only one exception, we don’t get details their differences with the alt-right views.

That exception comes from Petra having to do a deep dive into their activities and to try to interact—so it comes about organically. Even then, Witten doesn’t let Petra go too far.

I mention this to say that readers shouldn’t let the politics involved in the book dissuade them—it’s there, but it’s just part of the atmosphere. And it’s fairly evenly handled, and I can’t imagine many readers having a problem with it.

So, what did I think about Killer Story?

Early on in the novel, I made assumptions (as you do) about the kind of story that Witten was telling and what kind of things the reader should expect from the plot and characters. I was wrong on just about every point. It was a very different kind of story, the characters ended up going in directions I wouldn’t have guessed (Petra’s editor, boyfriend, and best friend were probably the exceptions to this), and every theory I had about the killing was wrong.* And the result is a richer, deeper, and more satisfying novel than what I thought I was going to get (and I anticipated this being a good one!).

* Well, almost. I did have the motive and killer right for a chapter or two, but Witten and Petra got me off of that path.

Witten’s story in last year’s Jacked was one of the higher points in a collection full of high points, and this novel solidified my appreciation for his writing. Before I got to the point where I realized that the novel wasn’t telling the story that I thought it was and shifted my expectations, I spent a good deal of time not liking the book—but I couldn’t stop reading it or thinking and talking about it when I wasn’t reading it. It was just too well done. It got under my skin. Actually, it’s still there—I can’t stop thinking about Petra and her choices. I even emailed Witten to ask a couple of questions I had about some points—points that I think the reader could have divergent opinions on, but I wanted his authorial take on it. I’ve never done this before. But I had to know—and even having his take on them, I’m chewing on it.

I’m going to be haunted by Killer Story for a bit—in the best way. If you’re looking for a mystery you can sink your teeth into and chew on, look no further.

4 Stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the eARC of this novel from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. This did not impact my view and the above is my honest opinion.

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.

PUB DAY REPOST: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: Journaling Her Investigation into the Hidden Ones of the North

By HCNewton

On January 10, 2023

In Fantasy, Fiction

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

by Heather Fawcett

DETAILS:
Series: The Emily Wilde Series, Book One
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 336 pg.
Read Date: December 19-21, 2022

What’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries About?

Emily Wilde is a dryadologist. Imagine, if you will, what post-Darwin scientists and naturalists were doing for the study of plants and animals in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries; or what Carter and the rest were doing in Egypt; but dryadologists are studying fairies (oh, in this world, they are as real as the tomb of Tutankhamun—she’s not a literary theorist). Humans have been dealing with fairies for centuries, but what we know about them is really limited. Mostly left to legends, tales told around the fire or in an inn—where a third or fourth-hand account is rare and as close to an eyewitness as most people will ever get. Emily and her counterparts throughout the world are seeking to bring that to an end. She has a position at Cambridge but is hoping her current project is the kind of thing that will secure her tenure and allow her to further her research.

Her project is the first comprehensive Encyclopedia of Fairies (hence the title). She could publish what she has now and probably receive scholarly acclaim—and tenure. But she’s driven. She’s a completist. And, to be honest, she has a little bit of an ego and she wants more than probable acclaim. So she rents a small shack in a Norwegian village for a few months to try to find, interact with, and document the least-understood fairies in the world. The northern Hidden Ones (both the common and regal varieties) are powerful and secretive. They don’t interact much with humans—and when they do, it’s generally bad for the humans. If Emily can be the first to get any scholarly research done, it will definitely put her on the map.

Sadly, as good as she is at dealing with and understanding Fairy, Emily is bad with humans. She has no people skills, is aware of it, and doesn’t care. But in this inhospitable climate, she really needs help to survive—much less to learn a lot about the Hidden Ones.

Thankfully (?), soon after her arrival, a colleague/competitor—and her only friend—gatecrashes her trip and takes up residence in her shack with her. Wendell Bambleby is the very picture of a Victorian gentleman-scholar. He’s a charmer, and soon has the villagers eating out of his hand. He’s also pampered and demanding (would probably have been considered a bit of a dandy at the time)—and has a really hard time not wrapping his head around things like cooking for himself, working to keep the fire burning, etc. He’s decided that he’s going to collaborate with Emily (not really caring if she agrees) and that their work in Norway will be the thing to help him reclaim some academic respectability following a scandal.

He may be under a cloud, but Wendell has connections and can open doors for Emily to get her the audience she really needs. So she accepts his proposal to collaborate, assuming she’s going to do almost all of the work.

Things ensue. I really can’t say more than that.

Poe

The first fairy that Emily meets is a young brownie—she ends up referring to him as Poe. It’s great to see her in action with him. it shows that she does know what she’s doing—we don’t just have to take her word for it (not that we have any reason to think she’s lying, but it’s good to know).

Poe really ends up showing us so much about Emily—and other characters, too. He’s ultimately so integral and important to the novel—and in a very real sense, not important to the plot in any way. But through his interactions (both that the reader sees on the page and those that happen “off-screen”) with various characters, so much of the plot becomes possible and the reader gains a whole lot of insight. Really, he was well, and cleverly, used by Fawcett. I can’t say it better without spending a few hundred spoiler-filled words, but the more I think about him, the more impressed I am by Fawcett.

Knowing More than Emily

Around the time—probably a little before—I figured out that the story of the novel isn’t really what you think it is, I figured out a couple of things that Emily is utterly blind to for a very long time.

Knowing more than a protagonist can be frustrating—I spend a lot of time yelling at detectives in mystery novels in particular. But sometimes, it can be fun watching them catch up to the reader. Fawcett’s able to draw humor from us knowing things that Emily doesn’t. It also helps us empathize with both Emily and other characters as we see her work through various situations and conversations.

And then, when Emily catches up with the reader—and reality—it’s all the more satisfying. Most/all of what we know that she doesn’t really wouldn’t be that believable if we learned it when she does. We get to spend many pages urging, “Come on, come on, come on…open your eyes/pay attention/etc.” And then, finally, cheer when she does. It’s the closest many readers will get to the position of a sportsball fan yelling at their TV to communicate to someone in a stadium miles/states away.

Slamming on the Brakes

I did have one significant problem with this book. As part of her research—part of her life, really—Emily specializes in stories about faeries. She shares some of them as part of her journal. It makes sense, they serve both the character and the overall novel. They’re truly fitting.

However.

It was like slamming the brakes on. Everything that had been building, all the tension, the momentum, the development, and so on all came to a rapid stop. And then picked up again after the stories. It reminded me of a time in Kevin Hearne’s Hammered when everything stopped for some of the characters to tell stories. As fun as those stories were, it really made that novel hard to get through (that series went on for 6 more books, two spin-off series, and a number of novellas and short stories—so the jarring stop was obviously not too catastrophic).

If the transition to them had been smoother—or maybe they had been more spread out. Just something, I probably wouldn’t have mentioned them—or I’d have talked about what a great way it was for us to get an understanding of the Northern Fairies without an infodump. Instead, it came across as a stumble—one that the novel recovered from nicely. But in the moment, it really bugged me.

So, what did I think about Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries?

Stick with me for a minute—I could tell from the opening pages that this was a well-composed and well-structured novel full of fantastic world-building. But it took longer for me to move beyond appreciation and admiration for what was being done to really care about it. I did, though, the book started out slowly and picked up momentum as it went—and as it did, I got more and more invested (and my appreciation and admiration increased, too). Somewhere around the mid-point, maybe a little later, I was as invested as is possible and only my notes tell me it took time for that.

I think I just used too many words to say—it’s a slow burn of a novel in almost every conceivable way. Not unlike Emily’s rented shack—it takes a while for a fire to really start heating the place, but once it has time, it’s nice and toasty warm.

There’s a lot I’d like to talk about, but I’m not sure how. I can see later installments being easier, but so much of the novel is about beginnings. To really talk about it would be to discuss the last 20% of the novel. And no one wants me to do that.

Just because of my own prejudices, I could spend a few paragraphs on her dog, Shadow, too. As much as he deserves them, I’m going to leave it with “he’s a very good boy.” I hope to see more of him in the books to come, too.

This book is rich in character, story, world-building (and world-revealing), magic, and subtlety. I’m not sure if you can be rich in subtlety, but Fawcett pulls that off. This is absolutely something I recommend and imagine the next few months are going to be filled with people gushing over this. Readers of this post might as well get in line now to be one of those gushing.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this opportunity.

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.

Early Grave by Paul Levine: Lassiter v. Friday Night Lights

By HCNewton

On January 9, 2023

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

(Paul Levine participated in a Q&A about this book after I posted this, you should check it out)

Early Grave

by Paul Levine

DETAILS:
Series: Jake Lassiter, #15
Publisher: Herald Square Publishing
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 372 pg.
Read Date: December 28-29, 2022

What’s Early Grave About?

Jake and his former teammate Tank are at a High School Football game—Tank’s son, Rod (also Jake’s godson), is making his debut and the two older men are beyond excited. On the opening play, Rod takes a hard hit, and Jake (who suffers from CTE) is concerned that the concussion protocol isn’t being followed, but before they can do anything, play resumes and Rod takes another hit—one he does not get up from.

The two men rush to the field and help the medical professionals until Rod can be taken to a hospital. Rod’s moment of glory has been turned into the worst day of their lives—and it’ll be worse when Tank’s wife/Rod’s mother is informed (no one had told her that Rod was playing football). He’s going to live, but it’s impossible to say whether he’ll walk again—or be able to do much at all.

Jake wants blood—so he sues the school, certain he can get around the waiver Tank signed, and seeks an injunction from the court to suspend High School contact football games until it can be proven that all schools have taken steps to ensure the game is safer.

Tackling Football

No one can blame Jake for the first part of his suit—although many doubt he’ll be able to get around the waiver (Victoria Lord gives him some help on that). But the second part feels like career suicide—he becomes a laughing stock in town, on local radio, in the legal community, and on social media.

I need to stop for a minute and talk about the social media parts—throughout the book, there’ll be news updates on the case which triggers Twitter responses (possibly other sites, but they feel like tweets to me). They are hilarious, in a funny-‘cuz-it’s-true way. This is precisely how the Internet would respond to a lawyer doing this. Levine did a great job on this front.

On a more serious front—if Jake pulls off a miracle here, that will suggest there’s something wrong with the game. If people aren’t being careful enough at the local level, what about college? What about the NFL? Powerful groups and people don’t want this to come anywhere near a courthouse, there’s just too much to lose. Jake finds himself, his associates, and his clients the target of many less-than-ethical endeavors to keep the case from progressing.

The legal aspects of this case are hard enough, but when you throw in the threats, intimidation, and money flying around to stop it? Things get even uglier.

Counseling

Jake and Melissa are in counseling—she’s discovered he’s been hiding medical issues, and who knows what else, from her. The trust is broken and she’s concerned about their future. Their engagement may be on the rocks. Melissa doesn’t have much to do in the primary story, so this is the main interaction we get with her. Through their counseling sessions, we get to see a lot of introspection and some flashbacks to Jake’s childhood.

I don’t know that they add a lot to the story, but these scenes do a great job of exploring parts of Jake’s character we probably wouldn’t be able to see otherwise—once he stops joking around defensively, that is.

Is This is the End?

Given Lassiter’s health, readers had to expect that he couldn’t keep going forever—I even asked about that back in 2020 when Levine participated in a Q&A, he said,

Lassiter told me he retired after “Bum Deal” in 2018. But when his beloved nephew Kip gets indicted for taking other kids’ SAT exams as an imposter, well, what choice did he have but to get back in the courtroom? [that’d be Cheater’s Game] I suspect Jake has one more case in him.

This might be that one more case—it’s being marketed as the last book in the series, anyway. Early Grave certainly feels like it’s the end—in several ways.

Still, since at least the days of Holmes and The Reichenbach Falls, we all know that authors have a tendency to change their minds about ending things. I’m not sure I’d close the book on this series, you never know what Levine might do. If nothing else, there’s room for books between the previously published adventures.

So, what did I think about Early Grave?

It’s probably just as dangerous for an author like Levine to mess around with something like Football as it is for an author to mess with a character’s pet dog or cat. There are some things you just don’t threaten. But Levine (and Lassiter) dance along that nasty third rail with aplomb and panache—throw in some good personal plot lines and some ominous actions from the other side and you’ve got yourself the makings of a solid thriller.

Like with most legal thrillers, the best parts of this novel happen in the courtroom—the reader is treated to great tension, some genuine comedy, and some clever reveals. The lawyers, legal assistants (for the defense), and the judge are just what’s needed for Levine to make this aspect of the novel really sing.

Jake’s a long-established maverick—and he acts like one with witnesses, his opposition, even his clients, and the law. All while dealing with his own ongoing medical issues—you have to wonder at times if Jake should’ve had a second chair just in case he doesn’t survive until the verdict is pronounced. But it’s that maverick nature that’s got him this far in life—and this far in the series, so you know that’s exactly what the readers want.

The conclusion to the case is satisfying—maybe a little credulity-stretching, but at that point, who cares? What happens after that shows Levine’s intentions for the character in pretty definite terms (with a little wiggle room, all that someone like Jake Lassiter needs). The whole thing is about as satisfying as you could want.

My only regret is that I haven’t managed to go back to the beginning so that I can feel the cumulative weight of this series coming to an end. That said, these books are designed to be read as stand-alones, and there’s no reason this couldn’t be the first installment that someone picks up.

Disclaimer: I received this novel from Saichek Publicity in exchange for this post and my honest opinion.

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.

The Neil Gaiman at the End of the Universe (Audiobook) by Arvind Ethan David, Neil Gaiman, Jewel Staite: Let’s Keep this Short and Sweet

By HCNewton

On January 4, 2023

In Audiobook, Neil Gaiman, Science Fiction

The Neil Gaiman at the End of the Universe

by Arvind Ethan David, Neil Gaiman (Narrator), Jewel Staite (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Audible
Publication Date: March 18, 2021
Format: Audible Original
Length: 29 min.
Read Date: December 28, 2022

This is a short story, so I’m not going to keep this short and sweet. Let’s go with a Pros and Cons list:

Pros	Cons
Satisfying SF Story Jewel Staite Neil flippin’ Gaiman	Sound effects that are effective, but a little too loud

It’s 29 minutes of entertaining goodness.

’nuff said.

4 Stars

Killer Story by Matt Witten: A Desperate Reporter Works to Solve a Sensational Murder

By HCNewton

On January 3, 2023

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

Be sure to check back in an hour or so for a Q&A with Matt Witten—it’s a great one!

Killer Story

by Matt Witten

DETAILS:
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: December 26-27, 2022

What’s Killer Story About?

While studying journalism in school, Petra acted as a counselor for a high school journalism camp. In that role, she met and befriended a young girl named Livvy Anderson. Over the years since then, the two forged a strong friendship—almost like sisters. At some point though, the relationship faltered—in college, Livvy started posting videos online spouting (in Petra’s view) extreme right-wing politics, hateful speech, and the like. For example, she defended a star football player accused of raping a woman on campus by trashing her reputation and exposing personal details. Rather than pushing back or even arguing with her friend, Petra chilled communication, assuming it was a phase, and focused on her own work.

And it might have been a phase if Livvy hadn’t been killed. The murder was fairly sensational—it happened while Livvy was recording a video (but she paused the recording so no one saw it or the murderer). The accused killer was acquitted—and most of the country (including Petra) assumed it was a travesty of justice and that he got away with it. The Court of Public Opinion definitely found him guilty.

Years later, Petra has found herself (like most young print journalists) bouncing around from newspaper to newspaper, trying to stay employed. She’s now at a major Boston newspaper and thinks that life is stable—the subjects of her stories might not be that glamorous, but she’s working, and the big story is around the corner.

Until she’s laid off. She panics at this point—her boyfriend (who moved cross-country with her for this job, changing the course of his career) isn’t going to put up with the lack of stability much longer, and it’s going to only get harder getting a job at the rate she’s going. So she throws out a mad pitch to her editor—what if she could definitively prove who killed Olivia Anderson? She tells him this story isn’t just the kind of thing for the paper—it’d make a great podcast.

Visions of the kind of revenue that Serial and similar podcasts could bring to the paper, not to mention the publicity of this kind of story, he gives her two weeks to firm up the story, start producing the podcast, and they’ll see what happens.

Petra heads off to find the evidence she pretended to have during that meeting—and hopefully much more.

The Journalism of this Novel

I’ve talked before about how I’m a sucker for a novel about a driven journalist—typically a print journalist, too. I’m always ready, willing, and able to embrace and fall into the romance of the crusading reporter. Or just one who does the job well, without a crusade.

But those kinds of stories are getting harder to tell and to believe in our current media landscape. Not just because print journalism is dying (for worse or for worser). It’s definitely not the track that Witten takes here. Petra is desperate and acts desperately—she lies to her editor at every turn, overstating her case and the evidence she has at each step of the way. Almost every fictional reporter* cuts a corner here and there and bends a rule and the truth in pursuit of the story and/or the truth. Petra amputates corners and forces the truth about her actions into positions only the most experienced yogi can handle—at least when it comes to what she tells her editor, coworkers, the police, her boyfriend, and so on.

* Lawyers, please note that I’m not saying anything about the methods of actual reporters or the companies they work for. Please don’t sue me.

When it comes to her actual reporting, however—in print, podcast, and elsewhere—Petra is much more honest. Bowing to editorial pressure she may say something earlier than she should* and while she never lies, she sure edges close to it. Her scripts feature incredibly well-chosen words—true, but open to interpretation.

* There are a few hundred words I could write about other journalistic ethical moves here, but I’d be getting sidetracked.

The journalism—both in print and in the podcast—we see here is very likely what fills our screens and earbuds. It’s sensationalistic, click-driven, and not necessarily all that honest. It’s depressing to think about, and it’s not great to read about if you think about it in those terms—but it makes for a thrilling (and realistic) read. Still, I think I need to go watch Deadline – U.S.A. or something to restore my faith in humanity.

The Alt-Right Depiction

Thanks to Livvy’s online persona, even now, she has a good number of fans. Many of those fans are not happy about Petra’s podcast—and make that displeasure well known online. At least one goes further than that. Between them and Livvy’s videos (and other online activities), Witten has to walk a careful line—he needs to depict them in an honest and believable way without turning them into a convenient punching bag for a reader or character to spend a lot of time venting about their politics (perhaps even himself). Or, to go in the other direction, too.

I really appreciated the restraint he showed in this regard, it’d be easy to slip here, but on the whole, he simply reports on the views espoused—sure, it’s clear that Petra and her colleagues (and many of the witnesses that talk about it) disagree with Livvy and her fans/defenders, but with only one exception, we don’t get details their differences with the alt-right views.

That exception comes from Petra having to do a deep dive into their activities and to try to interact—so it comes about organically. Even then, Witten doesn’t let Petra go too far.

I mention this to say that readers shouldn’t let the politics involved in the book dissuade them—it’s there, but it’s just part of the atmosphere. And it’s fairly evenly handled, and I can’t imagine many readers having a problem with it.

So, what did I think about Killer Story?

Early on in the novel, I made assumptions (as you do) about the kind of story that Witten was telling and what kind of things the reader should expect from the plot and characters. I was wrong on just about every point. It was a very different kind of story, the characters ended up going in directions I wouldn’t have guessed (Petra’s editor, boyfriend, and best friend were probably the exceptions to this), and every theory I had about the killing was wrong.* And the result is a richer, deeper, and more satisfying novel than what I thought I was going to get (and I anticipated this being a good one!).

* Well, almost. I did have the motive and killer right for a chapter or two, but Witten and Petra got me off of that path.

Witten’s story in last year’s Jacked was one of the higher points in a collection full of high points, and this novel solidified my appreciation for his writing. Before I got to the point where I realized that the novel wasn’t telling the story that I thought it was and shifted my expectations, I spent a good deal of time not liking the book—but I couldn’t stop reading it or thinking and talking about it when I wasn’t reading it. It was just too well done. It got under my skin. Actually, it’s still there—I can’t stop thinking about Petra and her choices. I even emailed Witten to ask a couple of questions I had about some points—points that I think the reader could have divergent opinions on, but I wanted his authorial take on it. I’ve never done this before. But I had to know—and even having his take on them, I’m chewing on it.

I’m going to be haunted by Killer Story for a bit—in the best way. If you’re looking for a mystery you can sink your teeth into and chew on, look no further.

4 Stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the eARC of this novel from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. This did not impact my view and the above is my honest opinion.

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.

Tag: 4 Stars Page 12 of 83

What’s The Shadow of Christ in the Book of Lamentations About?

Christ-Centered Perspective

So, what did I think about The Shadow of Christ in the Book of Lamentations?

What’s The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano About?

Before I Dive Into the Book

The Foundling

The Heist

The Volcano

The Ending

So, what did I think about The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano?

What’s The Night Watch About?

The Killer’s POV

So, what did I think about The Night Watch?

What’s Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing About?

How Perry Comes Across

So, what did I think about Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing?

What’s I Have a Confession About?

So, what did I think about I Have a Confession?

What’s Killer Story About?

The Journalism of this Novel

The Alt-Right Depiction

So, what did I think about Killer Story?

What’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries About?

Poe

Knowing More than Emily

Slamming on the Brakes

So, what did I think about Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries?

What’s Early Grave About?

Tackling Football

Counseling

Is This is the End?

So, what did I think about Early Grave?

What’s Killer Story About?

The Journalism of this Novel

The Alt-Right Depiction

So, what did I think about Killer Story?