The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis and A Book of Bones by John Connolly

At first, I was not sure if I'd be able to read The Good Luck Girls--those girls taken or sold at ten years old to a "Welcome House." On each girl's sixteenth birthday, she is auctioned off before before assuming her role in the brothel.

From description:Westworld meets The Handmaid's Tale in this stunning fantasy adventure from debut author Charlotte Nicole Davis.
Aster, the protectorViolet, the favoriteTansy, the medicMallow, the fighterClementine, the catalyst
THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS
The country of Arketta calls them Good Luck Girls--they know their luck is anything but. Sold to a "welcome house" as children and branded with cursed markings. Trapped in a life they would never have chosen.

Clementine, however, on her sixteenth birthday kills the "brag" or client that won her auction.  With the help of Clem's older sister Aster, several of the girls make a break for freedom.  From that point on, the plot becomes an adventure story with Aster in the lead.  Violet, the favorite who had delighted in getting girls in trouble, demands to go with them because she knows where to find Lady Ghost.

The girls must work together to survive and to find the almost mythical Lady Ghost, hoping that she will be able to remove the "favor," the magical tattoo that brands each of them as welcome girls.  Because they are all dustbloods (with the exception of Violet)-- they are all part of a disenfranchised, oppressed element of society,but without the favor, they would not be recognizable as escaped "good luck girls."

Part dystopian, part adventure, part supernatural, part heist...and all about the inequity of a society that subjugates certain members.  While there are flaws--some elements are not explored or explained, the length of the journey isn't mentioned until the end, and other than the madam of the Green Creek Welcome house, women are largely absent or mentioned only in passing--The Good Luck Girls  nevertheless provides an interesting, adventure-filled plot that addresses a number of social issues.  

I'm glad I kept reading, and I look forward to the next book which I hope will smooth out some of the problems in this intriguing debut novel.

NetGalley/Tor Teen
YA/Fantasy.  Oct. 1, 2019.  Print length:  352 pages.

A Book of Bones by John Connolly is the latest in the Charlie Parker PI/supernatural/horror series.  

I was a little disappointed in this one.  It skips all over the place from Parker and his allies to the villains to new sets of characters to historical inserts.  The writing is excellent as always, but the frequent breaks and historical insertions (while interesting) gives an uneven pace to a long book.

There is a great deal of violence in Connolly's good vs evil conflict.  The sinister, macabre elements are so frequent that they actually become less effective.  When a book is over 700 pages, maintaining suspense and dread is difficult.  Gruesome can only go so far.

Problems: too little of Parker, Angel, and Louis (Bob does a little better), too many interruptions that fracture the pace.

spoiler:  At any rate, this ends the Familists, Quayle, Pallida Mors narrative arc, but the Backers are still in play.

Now, where will Connolly go next?  In spite of my disappointment in A Book of Bones, I wouldn't miss a Charlie Parker book and am eagerly anticipating the next one.

NetGalley/Atria Books
Horror.  Oct. 15, 2019.  Print length:  720 pages.

The Bone Ships by RJ Barker and The Body on the Beach by Anna Johannsen.

The world-building in RJ Barker's The Bone Ships:  The Tide Child #1 is original and bold.  Barker has created a new world, full of detail, history, and culture for this series.  

In the world of the Hundred Isles, ships have been built from the bones of sea dragons--white, gleaming ships, equipped with corpse lights.  But there are also black bone ships, captained and crewed by condemned criminals.  And Joron Twiner finds himself on Tide Child, a black ship, in retaliation for killing the son of a powerful official in a duel.

Joron Twiner presents an intriguing protagonist as he gradually grows from an angry, depressed, nineteen-year-old and begins to question the rules and history of his society.  I found this particularly interesting as the growth is slow and not readily accepted as Joron clings to the traditions he has been raised to accept.

Lucky Meas takes command of the Tide Child from Joron and not only allows him to live, but gives him second in command.  Lucky Meas has been Shipwife (captain) of one of the most famous of the bone ships and has become a legend for her courage and skill in battle.  How did she become condemned to a black ship?  Whatever the reason, Meas is a leader and she is able to get both ship and crew into shape through force of will.

Meas, Joron, and the crew of the Tide Child are in search of the last sea dragon and the attempts to protect it or kill it.

 (At the end, there is an appendix ranks in the Fleet and the Hundred Isles that (in my opinion) should have been at the beginning to help the reader adjust to this new world.  Definition of the bern, berncast, Fleet ranks, etc. would make entering the world easier.)

I had not read RJ Barker before, but as soon as I finished The Bone Ships (knowing it would probably be a year's wait before the next in the series comes out), I ordered Age of Assassins, the first in Barker's Wounded Kingdom trilogy.  Which lets you know how much I liked the book and the author.  I literally put my Kindle on large print and walked while reading--mostly inside because adding the heat index to 98 degrees made walking outside too damn hot.

Read in August; blog review scheduled for Sept. 2.

NetGalley/Orbit Books
Fantasy/Adventure.  Sept. 24, 2019.  Print length:  512 pages.

The Body on the Beach by Anna Johannsen.  When a body is found on the beach of the small island of Arum, the question arises: natural death, suicide, murder?

DI Lena Lorezen is sent to investigate by a boss she doesn't trust.  The victim was the head of a children's home, and the investigation leads to links to the past.  

Not a bad mystery/police procedural, but the romance of Lena's reconnection with her youthful boyfriend felt like the author was trying to include a romance for a target audience.

Read in July; blog review scheduled for Sept. 2.

NetGalley/Amazon Publishing, UK
Police Procedural.  Print length:  240 pages.  

Colt Humboldt and the Close of Death by T.A. Anderson

Colt Humboldt and the Close of Death

The first in a projected series for middle schoolers features twelve-year-old Colt Humboldt whose father has accepted a job at the Edinburgh zoo.  Colt is not happy about leaving Dallas and his friends, but he has no idea of the friendships and adventures that await him in Scotland.

Colt seems a pretty ordinary young man.  He whines a bit about the move away from his friends, but that is completely understandable.  He considers himself "medium" -- nothing outstanding in any way.  Circumstances, however, will make significant changes in his medium life, when two children stumble from his wardrobe.  Alesone and Peter, have just escaped soldiers in 1645, and now find themselves in Colt's twenty-first century.

I liked the kids and the mythology and folklore.  I liked the information about Mary King's Close (a close is like an alley or narrow street off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh).  

Overall, the book is an exciting adventure with lots of historic details thrown in.  I do feel that the author tried to throw in too much at once and sort of skimmed the explanations-- especially with the inclusion of so many of the creatures of legend and folklore:  the Brown Man of the Muirs, Redcaps, Shellycoats, Kelpies, Selkies, Wulvers, Brownies, Cu Sith, Cait Sith, Nuckelavees, Puddlefoots, and more.  Also thrown into the mix: a little Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. 

It is a long book, which is great, but perhaps some editing would have kept the script a little tighter.

There were a few things I questioned--like the way Alesone, a bright girl, failed to really question the way the city and its people had changed over the course of 400 years, but I enjoyed the book and will watch for the next in the series.

I'd love to know what the intended audience for this book think about it.  

Read in February.

NetGalley.

Middle Grade/Fantasy/Adventure.  Feb.  2014.  Print version:  456 pages.

The Pleasure of Memory by Welcome Cole

The Pleasure of Memory seems an odd name for this fantasy.   Beam's memories are more disturbing than pleasant.  

Beam, the antihero, is a thief and a smuggler whose various activities include gambling, whoring, and grave robbing.  Although he doesn't seem to seek violence, he is always prepared for it.

Even as Beam acknowledges his tendency to criminal behavior, he exhibits a concern for others in several situations;  he fights against this tendency, yet usually grudgingly submits to it.

The story opens with Beam feeling pretty good about his situation and his prospects.  He has found a gem in one of the crypts he plundered and believes he has managed to escape his pursuers.

What do you think?  Yep, the pursuers catch up with him and send him running for his life.

The action is exceptionally well done.  Beam's escape from the hostile warriors is as visual as a scene from a movie.  

The escape is just the beginning of a long journey that changes Beam in almost every way. Despite his better judgement, he risks his life to save a mage, and finds himself with even more problems than he had before.  Facing demons and his own fears become  daily challenges for Beam.

A reluctant antihero begins his transformation in this version of the hero's journey, and the journey will continue in the next two installments of this trilogy.

I almost didn't request this NetGalley offer because of the cover, which seems more appropriate for a Nordic Noir murder mystery.  Don't judge this book by its cover.   Welcome Cole has created a gripping plot, strong characters, and an engaging fantasy world.  

NetGalley/Caelstone Press

Fantasy/Adventure.  2013.  Print version:  549 pages.

Jim Morgan and the Pirates of the Black Skull by James Raney

I read Jim Morgan and The King of Thieves (a NetGalley ARC) and reviewed it here in April.  When Sarah Miniaci offered me the next installment, Jim Morgan and the Pirates of the Black Skull, my e-reader was in the shop, so she sent me a copy in the mail.  Thanks, Sarah!

I admit that I'm a sucker for pirate adventures, so even had I not enjoyed the first in the series (which I certainly did), this one would have appealed to me.

Many of you have probably given frequent thought to the quality of books for young readers.  I've always considered a good book for kids to be one that can just as easily enthrall adults.  There are many good books for young people out there, and I enjoy reading them.  

On the other hand, there are many books for this age group that are condescending or simplistic or poorly written or all of the above.  Good books for young people should be just as meaty and just as thoughtful as possible, I think, in order to secure their futures as readers.

Raney obviously realizes this, and I can imagine that he has great fun writing the adventures of young Jim, the brothers Ratt, and Lacy.  While I'm not fond of books that are patently pedantic or didactic, I do want a book for young people to touch on important values, to have a keen sense of the human flaws we all share, and to include examples of character growth. 

 Jim, our protagonist, has certainly come a long way from the spoiled young fellow that began the first novel.  In the Pirates of the Black Skull, we see Jim continue to struggle with dilemmas and difficulties, some of which are just part of growing up in general, but--because of all the adventure and magic--the importance of friends, of trust and trustworthiness, of responsibility, integrity, and accountability...can be the difference between life and death.

The trick is, perhaps, to present all of this without appearing to be preaching, to make the young readers come to these conclusions for themselves.  Kudos to Raney for letting his readers ride the adventure, aware of Jim's bad decisions, but hoping that he will realize his mistakes and correct them.  As adults, we are aware of what he is doing, but young readers will be able to incorporate these values in a way that blends easily with the adventure.

And there is plenty of adventure:  there are villains, monsters, liars, and betrayals; and there are steadfast friends and there is humor and suspense.

One niggling item:  I did get a little confused about the identities of the schemer, the thief, the warrior, and the sailor in Janus Blacktail's story.  I'll be alert to the appearance of Janus Blacktail in the next episode of Jim Morgan's adventures because Jim owes the mysterious cat a secret.

This was an ARC sent by Sarah Miniaci at Smith Publicity, but the ebook is available on Net Galley, and Amazon has the Kindle version for $2.99.  

If you have a penchant for adventure and/or are looking for good books for young readers, I can wholeheartedly recommend both Jim Morgan and the King of Thieves and Jim Morgan and the Pirates of the Black Skull.

Juvenile/Adventure.  Dreamfarer Press.  2013.  320 pages.

The Affair by Lee Child

The Affair is the latest in Child's Jack Reacher series.  I read this back in October or November, and as anyone who reads this blog knows, Jack Reacher is one of my favorite characters.  Lee Child writes great action-packed adventure and never fails to keep me wanting more Jack Reacher.

The Affair flashes back to Reacher's days as an elite MP and gives insight into the reasons Reacher leaves the military and begins his Paladin-like career as a wanderer.  Sent undercover to find out who murdered a young woman and to do damage control if necessary, Reacher ends up in a small Mississippi town near an army base.  Looking into the current murder, he discovers that it wasn't actually the first by this killer  (how the authorities  fail to connect murders of young women in a fairly short period of time in a small town seems a leetle bit incompetent, but there you go).  Yes, there are certainly elements that recur from book to book and no, the plots aren't always plausible, and yet Lee Child continues to captivate his audience.

This was not my favorite by any means, but it was still a page-turner.

Fiction.  Action/Adventure/Mystery/Suspense.  2011.  416 pages.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a book for young readers at the upper elementary to middle school levels.  It offers some unusual and endearing characters, suspense, and a criminal mastermind.


Reynie Muldoon lives in an orphanage  when he sees an add in the paper reading, "Are you a gifted child looking for Special Opportunities?"  Reynie has never really fit in at the orphanage and decides to show up for the exams.  The exams are certainly unusual, but finally Reynie and three other children are the only ones who have made it through all of the exams.


Reynie, Kate Weatherhill, Sticky Washington, and Constance Contraire are introduced to the unusual Mr. Benedict who informs them that, if they choose, they may take part in an important and dangerous mission to save the world.  The four all agree to the challenge, form The Mysterious Benedict Society, and prepare to infiltrate The Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened.


Our heroes must employ the unique skills they possess and must work together to defeat the insidious Mr. Curtain who plans to take over the world.


An excellent book for the target age group, The Mysterious Benedict Society would be a great read aloud book for both parents and children.  It provides good fun and adventure, and there are more:  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma.


Other Reviews:  Framed and Booked, Remarkable Reads, Madigan Reads, 


Fiction.  Adventure.  2007.  486 pages.

Tripwire by Lee Child

Tripwire  is another Jack Reacher novel, and I love me some Jack Reacher.  This was the third in the series, and the last "catch up" novel for me.  Now, I've read all of the 15 novels in the series and eagerly await the imminent release of #16 this month.

Who is Jack Reacher?  At 6'5", he is a giant of a man, an ex MP, and a current vagrant of sorts.  After leaving the army, he moves from city to city at will, never staying very long in one place, and owning only what he wears and can carry.

  He is quiet and slow to anger, but has a propensity for violence when called for, as his villainous opponents discover to their chagrin.  He has a strong moral sense, and although it often is more personal and immediate than the legal system, his moral code has a sincere sense of justice.

 Reacher's skills include terrific hand-to-hand combat techniques, the ability to know time without referring to a watch, an unusual awareness of his surroundings, great reflexes; he is also a skilled marksman.  He is a sort of superhero whose feats are pretty remarkable and whose adventures are suspenseful and exciting.

He is a sort of Paladin.  (Remember Paladin?)  Not as fancy a dresser and not a "gun for hire," but a good man to have on your side when fighting the bad guys.

Trip Wire, the third in the series, is a case involving Leon Garber, his former commanding officer.  Garber, before his death, was looking into something that made him curious (and suspicious) for the elderly parents of a young soldier whose death in Vietnam the military won't confirm.  Garber sends for Reacher, but dies before Reacher arrives, and Reacher is determined to get to the bottom of the puzzle his friend and mentor was trying to solve.

Fiction.  Action/Adventure.  2000.  432 pages.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a peculiar book.  The unusual vintage photographs from his photo collector friends add such an odd and mysterious element to the story that a great deal of time can be spent just looking at the photographs, again and again.

I think I first read about this on Carl's blog, although I've seen reviews on several blogs since then.  The book is interesting for its use of the weird vintage photographs (only a few have been altered) that form the basis of the story, a great concept because almost everyone can identify with the curiosity engendered by such photographs.

Who were these people, what did they do, who were their family and friends, what eventually happened to them?  Using the photographs to weave a story that relates such unusual images is a nice feat of the imagination, and Ransom Riggs manages to do this.

The book reminds me of both Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock and The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick because the visual aspect is as important (or more important) than the story itself.  The illustrations, whether drawings or photographs, are inseparable from the narrative in any of these works. 

I finished this a couple of weeks ago and am finally getting around to the review. 

A boy who worships his grandfather, Jacob eventually comes to doubt the truth of the fantastic stories with which his grandfather regaled him throughout his boyhood.  However, when his grandfather is killed under mysterious and dreadful circumstances, Jacob discovers how awful it is not to be believed.

Eventually, Jacob decides to follow up certain clues he feels his grandfather has left him and determine whether or not the tales of adventure Jacob loved as a small boy had more than an element of truth.

I love the premise of the novel, the photographs, Miss Bird, the peculiar children.  I was not as thrilled by the feeling of a rushed conclusion and a bit of a cliff hanger.  More time spent with the peculiar children, bringing each one to life and letting us linger a bit more with them, would have pleased me.

While I am glad to have a copy of this book (which is printed on fine paper and full of the interesting photos), I'm not sure that in retrospect, it lived up to my expectations.  


Other Reviews:   Stainless Steel Droppings, Fyrefly's Book Blog, An Adventure in Reading,

Fiction.  Fantasy/Adventure/YA.  2011.  352 pages.

6 by John Marsden (Tomorrow When the War Began series)

A while back, I reviewed Tomorrow When the War Began, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Over the last month or so, I've read the entire series.  I enjoyed them all; Australian author John Marsden's series is thoroughly entertaining.  Even though it was time for the series to end, reading the last one made me sad that I wouldn't be able to continue the adventures of Ellie and her friends.

And yet...there are The Ellie Chronicles yet waiting for me, and that makes me happy.

Yes, I'm still working on reviewing 2010 books, so I'm grouping all 6 in one post.

OK, so here are the rest of the books in the series:


The Dead of Night - book 2 -  Begins with brief overview of the invasion and how the teenagers on a camping trip escaped capture.  Corrie and Kevin are no longer with the group; Kevin has taken Corrie to the hospital after she was wounded, and then finds himself imprisoned.  Ellie continues writing about their experiences, their guerrilla warfare, and her own personal thoughts about the war, her own role, and those of her friends.  Through Ellie's eyes, we see the courage and the consequences of the groups actions.  Once again, terrific, fully realized characters, lots of action, lots of suspense, and the coming of age of young people thrust suddenly into a world completely different from anything they have previously known or even considered.

A Killing Frost - The group's acts of sabotage continue, but surviving becomes more difficult.  Characters continue to evolve.  Homer and Ellie continue to be the dominant leaders, but Lee, a talented musician and a more reserved character, grows in his capacity as courageous loner.  The original group shrinks once again--a loss that was harder to deal with than the previous ones.


Darkness Be My Friend - The group's resourcefulness continues, but the events continue to take their toll on their individual psyches.  More suspense, more action, more soul-searching.


Burning for Revenge - Because of their flaws and failures, as much as for their courage and their successes, the group of friends continue to keep a grip on this reader.  Marsden does such a great job with the character development, the imagery, and with the action.  I especially love sequences in which Ellie's previously mundane life on a sheep and cattle farm (mundane to her) help keep images of what WAS normal in mind as well as provide some of the means of the group's survival.


The Night Is for Hunting - In addition to attempting to evade capture and find food, this books introduces them to "the ferals," young children who have somehow escaped capture and have a tendency toward violence, having had to survive on their own for nearly a year.

The Other Side of Dawn - Ahh, the conclusion.  It was time, but I still wasn't ready.

This is an excellent series!   Highly recommended.

Fiction.  YA/ Adventure.

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade

The Hunchback Assignments is another YA book; this one fits in the steampunk sub-genre of fantasy.

When Mr. Socrates rescues a young hunchback from a traveling Victorian freak show, he is astounded by the child's ugliness, but suspects that his efforts will be rewarded.

He names the child Modo and has him raised in seclusion.  Modo, an extremely bright child, is well-fed and well-educated mostly by a kind governess.  He is also trained in the martial arts by another mysterious associate of Mr. Socrates.  When Modo is fourteen, Mr. Socrates takes him to London for an important test.  Modo is left alone in the unfamiliar city and must survive until contacted again by his mentor.  Initially terrified, the boy uses his native intelligence to find a niche for himself and his unusual talents.

He is then given his first assignment for the covert organization whose goal is to protect Britain at all costs.  On this assignment, Modo meets another young agent, Octavia Milkweed, another young orphan who has also been rescued and well-trained. 

Slade has created an interesting cast of characters, including some evil villains, and a plot that is interesting for both the adventure and for the relationships among the characters.

A fun and interesting little book that should appeal to youngsters of all ages!

Other Reviews:  Kailana at The Written World,  Steamed,

Fiction.  Steampunk/Adventure/YA.  2009.  278 pages,

Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden

Tomorrow When the War Began has been recommended by different bloggers, especially the Aussies!  I loved it.  A very fast moving plot with likable characters.

Ellie and her friends go on a week-long camping trip into a secluded area called Hell.  The area is difficult to access, but once they get there they feel removed from the world.  As it turns out, they are, indeed, removed from the world as they know it.  On their return home, they find one house after another deserted, empty of family, no notes or explanations, and the animals dead or dying of thirst and neglect.

During their absence, their country has been invaded and their loved ones incarcerated.  The teens must work together to survive and discover how to deal with the invaders.  Surrender?  Fight?  They investigate, gather supplies, make plans.  Gradually, they realize that the world they've known will never be the same.

Leaders, sometimes unexpected, emerge as the teens prepare for what they now realize will be a long siege.  Mistakes are made, but they learn to work together and trust the individual strengths of their fellows.  Lots of action and suspense!

I really enjoyed this novel and will be continuing with the series!

 Other reviews:  Whimpulsive,

Fiction.  Adventure/Suspense.  1993, Australia.  2006.  276 pages.

Souless by Gail Carriger (R.I.P. V #6)

Soulless was great fun, witty, tongue-in-cheek!  I loved it.  Yes, loved it with a passion and enjoyed every moment from first to last.  I didn't want to put it down and finished in short order (and ordered the next two in Carriger's series).

Vampires and werewolves and bluestockings and preternaturals and mad scientists and romance and steampunk  and endearing characters!  It was fresh and fun and somehow, as comforting as tea and scones. 

It was a perfect choice for the  R.I.P. V Challenge, and for anyone who enjoys a bit of witty repartee and a novel that keeps you smiling, it is a must read.  Jane Austen meets Jules Verne.

Also reviewed here:  The Written World,  Books & Movies,  The Secret Lair 

Fiction.  Supernatural/Humor/ Adventure/Alternate History.  2009.  384 pages.

61 Hours by Lee Child

Child, Lee.  61 Hours.

This Reacher novel is set in North Dakota during an unusually fierce winter blizzard.

I enjoyed the novel, as I almost always enjoy them, but didn't care for the countdown aspect.  The conclusion didn't work especially well for me either.  Really, it would probably be better if I gave Reacher a rest for a while.  (Did I say that in my last review of a Reacher novel?)

The novels are addictive, and some are very good, some are less so.  My favorite Reacher novels are those that involve some of his old team, and this one provided a bit of a twist as he converses via telephone with the new head of his old elite unit.   Reacher was the first CO of the unit, and Susan Turner is the current head--he needs her help, and the two develop some chemistry in their phone conversations.

There was a little (a lot?) less action, but that didn't particularly bother me.  The conclusion, however, with the stepped-up action seemed over the top; the cliff-hanger didn't appeal at all.

What can I say?  I will  register certain criticisms and still eagerly await the next novel featuring Jack Reacher.

Fiction.  Action, Suspense.  2010.  Kindle.  Print version - 400 pages.

Echo Burning by Lee Child

Child, Lee.  Echo Burning.

This makes the 8th Jack Reacher novel I've read so far this year.  What I can I say...it is a Jack Reacher novel--full of action, a tough guy super-hero, a far-fetched plot and lots of fun!

Reacher, who attracts trouble like sugar attracts flies, is trying to avoid a little dust-up with a local cop and is hitching a ride out of town.  The beautiful Carmen Greer picks him up.  Uh oh.

Carmen doesn't just pick Reacher up on a whim; she's been cruising West Texas roads looking for a tough guy...to kill her husband.  Amid some lies and half-truths, she tells of the beatings she's received at her husband's hands and informs Reacher that although her husband is currently in jail for tax-evasion, he is about to be released and she expects the abuse to continue at best, and at worst, that her husband will kill her because she tipped off the IRS.

Although Reacher, as a former Army MP  has killed many men (in some spectacular adventures), he is not an assassin and turns Carmen down.  However, he senses the genuine fear amid the lies and agrees to return with her to the ranch where Carmen lives with her daughter and her hateful mother- and brother-in-law.

All Reacher novels are action-packed and full of adventure.  Lee Child excels at action, suspense, and atmosphere of place.  Although this is not my favorite Reacher adventure, it was fast-paced and hard to put down.  It was not as satisfying as some of the previous Reacher novels, but still an entertaining read. 

Fiction.  Crime/Mystery/Adventure/Suspense.  2007.  576 pages.

Land of Ghosts by E.V. Seymour

Seymour, E.V.  Land of Ghosts.

An ARC from Midas Publications, UK.  Land of Ghosts is a suspenseful thriller that examines the Russia/Chechnya conflicts and the brutality on both sides.

This is Seymour's third novel featuring Paul Tallis, an MI5 operative, and I'll be looking for the first two in the series.  If you enjoy action novels and/or spy novels in the tradition of Robert Ludlum, these novels should fill the bill.

An undercover agent in Chechnya has been out of touch for a year, and his handler suspects he has gone rogue.  Paul Tallis is approached about a mission to bring the missing operative out; although he questions the assignment, he agrees because the missing agent is an old school friend, Graham Darke.

Tallis must infiltrate the rebel Chechen movement, find his old friend, determine his loyalty, and attempt to bring him home (willing or unwilling) in order to prevent the disintegration of Anglo-Russian relations.

Tallis finds brutality and corruption on  sides of the conflict, and while he sympathizes  with the situation of both regular Russian soldiers and ordinary Chechens, he is appalled at the behavior of psychopaths and sadists on both sides.  To add to the suspense, Tallis continues to question the motives behind his own mission.

Interesting characters, action, suspense, and a frightening look at the background of a conflict that Americans know little about. 

I couldn't find an entry for the U.S. Amazon, so the link is to Amazon, UK.    * note to
Margot Weale at Midas:  Thanks for this one, and I'd be happy to review the previous books!  :)

Fiction.  Action/Spy/Suspense.  2010.  441 pages.

The Persuader

Child, Lee.  Persuader.

Jack Reacher again.  Another fast-paced novel with lots of suspense.  The beginning had me confused and checking to see if this was really Reacher.  He rescues a college kid, but kills a cop in the process.  Whoa!  Not Reacher's style at all.

Ah, the whole thing was a set-up to get him inside the operations of a crime operation involving an evil character that Reacher thought he had killed years ago.  He goes undercover to bring down his nemesis, and of course, he succeeds, but there are plenty of close calls along the way.

finished in May

Fiction.  Action/Thriller.  2009.  496 pages.

Sandstorm

Rollins, James. Sandstorm. Last week when I was at Walmart, I noticed that all of the checkout lines were long and were not moving very fast, so I picked up a paperback to read as I waited. At first a rollicking adventure of the Indiana Jones sort seemed possible (there is even a character named Omaha Dunn); however, none of the humor, the tongue-in-cheek, the playful elements of Indiana Jones appear in this novel that takes itself seriously in the midst of the absurd.


The main characters have some combination of the following traits: brilliant, beautiful, handsome, wealthy beyond measure, physically gifted with extraordinary reflexes, speed, and/or stamina, have a tragic past... well, you get the idea. Any interesting plot element seems borrowed and any other plot element requires much more than a "willing suspension of disbelief.


It is fast-paced and there is action; the purpose of the action, unfortunately, appears to be to add to the book length and has little suspense or sense of purpose.


Fiction. Action, adventure. 2004. 569 pages.