Wolfe and Archie agree to find a young woman’s father. When her mother she was killed yea hit-and-run driver, she found she’d been getting $1000 a monWolfe and Archie agree to find a young woman’s father. When her mother she was killed yea hit-and-run driver, she found she’d been getting $1000 a month from a mysterious source, who she assumes must be the father she doesn’t know. Wolfe and Archie both find her answers and track down the hit-and-run driver. ...more
In about a week, we'll be touring Notre-Dame, so I wanted to reread the novel, which I hadn't read in decades (and in rereading it, I think I may haveIn about a week, we'll be touring Notre-Dame, so I wanted to reread the novel, which I hadn't read in decades (and in rereading it, I think I may have read a slightly abridged version).
First, let me note that Victor Hugo disliked the English title The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The preferred title is Notre-Dame de Paris. While Quasimodo is an important character in the book, he is only one of many. The real center of the book is the great cathedral of Notre-Dame and in fact the city of Paris as a whole, as it was in 1482. The book includes section on the cathedral itself, on the city of Paris as seen from the cathedral, and on the changes in Paris (not always for the better, in Hugo's opinion) from 1492 to the mid-Nineteenth Century. There is also a wonderful chapter on how, prior to the invention of printing, humanity wrote its history in architecture.
This is a rich, diverse novel. There are section, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, of pure description or of philosophy or art. There are other chapters that explore the characters, and the social structures in which they live. There is social commentary (including a chapter on Louis XI and his advisors that really skewers the monarch). There are some great action sequences. The army of the Tramps storming Notre-Dame to take away La Esmerelda and to pillage the church, and the church's defense by Quasimodo is very exciting. And of course there is tragedy, both in who doesn't survive the novel and in who does.
I'm happy to have reread it, and look forward to seeing the great cathedral for myself. I hope to hear the bells. ...more
The abbey of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups has remained hidden for centuries, with 24 monks living in solitude. The church, and the world, had thoughtThe abbey of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups has remained hidden for centuries, with 24 monks living in solitude. The church, and the world, had thought the order had been dissolved when pursued by the Inquisition, but instead they'd fled to rural Quebec, away from the world: until they released a CD of their Gregorian chants to raise money needed to repair the abbey. And the world found out, though they still turned away all comers. That is, until a monk is murdered, and Chief Inspector Gamache and Inspector Beauvoir who up to search for the killer, a killer who must be one of he monks.
This is a very different book from the previous ones in the series, and is also one of the strongest yet. The author does a great job in portraying the monastic life, bringing to life a number of the characters. She explores not only their dedication to their music, but also delves into detail about the chants, their history, and how they were written down.
Wala Kitu, the narrator of Dr. No, is a mathematician obsessed with the concept of nothing. He is approached by billionaire John Sill, who pays him seWala Kitu, the narrator of Dr. No, is a mathematician obsessed with the concept of nothing. He is approached by billionaire John Sill, who pays him several million dollars to be his expert on nothing. Sill wants to be a Bond-style supervillain, and he plans to break into Fort Knox, which he is convinced contains nothing, and nothing can be used as a super weapon. Sound confusing? It does a bit when described this way, but it really isn't in the novel itself, where it works as the weapon and also as the basis for a lot of wordplay.
This is a marvelous send-up of spy novels of the James Bond type, complete with an insane villain, a variety of henchmen, various locales and secret bases, bizarre plots, and so on. But it's also more. In addition to the wordplay mentioned above, there are philosophical references and a lot of mathematical references, such as mentions of various real laws, theorems, and proofs. And one of the main characters is named Eigen Vector.
This is the second Everett novel I've read, having read his marvelous James a few months ago. I'll certainly read more. ...more
The Expert System's Champion is set on a planet with a biosphere that is completely toxic to the human colonists. A prologue and several interludes teThe Expert System's Champion is set on a planet with a biosphere that is completely toxic to the human colonists. A prologue and several interludes tell the story of human scientists trying to find a way to adapt, but most of the short novel focuses on humans many years later. At that point, most humans have been biologically altered to be able to live on the planet, though a few have been severed, returned to the original biological state. The latter form a traveling group, called the Bandage-Men, hated by others, but who provide protection against fauna (which can't eat them) and a place for newly severed.
The novel focuses on what appears to be an uprising by one group of alien fauna and the way the Bandage-Men try to deal with this. In the process, the book not only explores the strange alien biology, but in the end ties the two threads together nicely. ...more
Into the Unknown is a book about astrophysics and physics, but it's also much more than that. It's a book about what we know and how we know it, as weInto the Unknown is a book about astrophysics and physics, but it's also much more than that. It's a book about what we know and how we know it, as well as what we don't know. It looks at the big questions, exploring them, and poking at the limits. Johnson emphasizes that we have to keep asking questions and putting forward ideas, even if right now have no way to fully test them, else we'll never stray off the path of what we already know. In the end, the book does a great job of combining science with some philosophy, particularly the philosophy of how we know things.
The books is structured to ask big questions. After an introductory chapter on "What Is Knowledge?" it continues with chapters including "What Caused the Big Bang?", "What Are Dark Matter and Dark Energy?", "What Happens Inside Black Holes?", "What Is the Nature of Time?", and "Is the Universe Fine Tuned?" As you can see, these are big questions, and we only have partial answers (if even that) to some of them.
Johnson writes in an entertaining and easy to understand style, even when she's describing complicated subjects. She uses some very good examples and analogies to make what she's describing clear, making topics like multiple dimensions easier to visualize than most other sources I've read. She also at times talks about questions she asks her students and homework she gives them, making me wish I really had a teacher like her.
This is a book whose aim is to make you think more deeply about the universe, and I recommend it highly. ...more
Honor Harrington returns to Manticore after the major naval victory at the end of the previous book to find herself embroiled in something she hates -Honor Harrington returns to Manticore after the major naval victory at the end of the previous book to find herself embroiled in something she hates -- politics. Pavel Young, who had previously tried to rape her (at which point she thoroughly thrashed him) and who had tried to sabatoge one of her previous commands (which backfired on him) is courtmartialed for cowardice, as he fled the battle. This court-martial becomes the center of a huge political debate, as both Conservative and Liberal parties try claim it's all political and use it against the ruling government party. The split verdict, that drums Young out of the navy but doesn't call for his execution, calms things a bit, but makes things worse for Honor, as Young is out for revenge.
Honor tries to get out of the spotlight for a bit by returning to the planet Grayson, where she has been made a stadholder in recognition of her remarkable efforts to keep this allied planet safe. But she must return to the political firestorm at home when Young begins his revenge campaign.
This is a different book from the first three in the series, as it features no major space battles, but rather focuses on political intrigue and assassination attempts. But it's still a very good read in it own right (though I'd recommend that anyone who wants to read it read the preceding books first). ...more
Orrie Cather asks Archie Goodwin to visit the apartment of his mistress, Isabel Kerr when she is supposedly out. Isabel is also the mistress of a richOrrie Cather asks Archie Goodwin to visit the apartment of his mistress, Isabel Kerr when she is supposedly out. Isabel is also the mistress of a rich man, who is the one paying for her lavish apartment. Orrie has found someone he wants to marry, and he told Isabel that he needs to break up with her. She objects, and she still has some of Orrie's possessions, so Orrie wants Archie to break in and retrieve them. But when Archie enters he instead finds Isabel's body. He quickly leaves, but the police soon arrest Orrie, whose fingerprints are all over Isabel's apartment.
Since Orrie has often worked for Nero Wolfe, and since Archie as well as several others who work for Wolfe, agree that it was unlikely that Orrie was the killer, they decide they have to clear him in the only way they know how: they need to find out who did kill her.
Thus starts another clever mystery by Rex Stout. As always, the great strength of these aren't simply the plot. The characters are interesting, and Archie's first-person narration is captivating. I also enjoy the frequent references to foods I haven't tried (and since I own the Nero Wolfe Cookbook, i can often then look them up and try them -- after reading this book I plan to make a French dish of eggs poached in red wine).
Rex Stout is both one of my favorite mystery writers and one of my go-to comfort reads. I recommend pretty much any of the Nero Wolfe novels. ...more
Clara Morrow has a very successful art exposition in Montreal and returns home to Three Pines for a party with friends as well as invited artists, ageClara Morrow has a very successful art exposition in Montreal and returns home to Three Pines for a party with friends as well as invited artists, agents, and gallery owners. But things change when Clara find a body in her garden, and change even more when it turns out that the body is that of a childhood friend, one who had betrayed Clara, and who Clara hated for years.
So Chief Inspector Gamache and team travel back to Three Pines and try to work out who the killer is. Along the way, they find that the victim, who was a hateful critic in the past, was now in AA and trying to change, but had damaged many prior to this. But as Gamache and crew try to uncover what is really happening, they also have to deal with their memories of the near fatal shootings of Gamache and his second command Jean Guy Beauvoir in the previous novel.
This is another good entry in the series. Penny does a very good job of managing and tying together multiple threads, and in creating characters who are nuanced and compelling. ...more
Maika, Zin, and the other main characters travel to a dream-like prison world. As usual, the artwork here is great, and the story overall good, thoughMaika, Zin, and the other main characters travel to a dream-like prison world. As usual, the artwork here is great, and the story overall good, though at times a tad confusing. It had been a few months since I'd the previous volume and it took a chapter or so for me to re-orient myself. ...more
Susan has grown up with her mother near Bath, not knowing who her father is. She travels to London, hoping to find him, perhaps getting some clues froSusan has grown up with her mother near Bath, not knowing who her father is. She travels to London, hoping to find him, perhaps getting some clues from the "uncle" who sends her and her mother a card every year. But the uncle is a gangster, and she bursts in on him just in time to see a young man stick him with a pin, causing him to crumble into dust.
The young man is named Merlin, and he's a bookseller, one of the group of people who deal with threats from the supernatural world. Specifically, he's a left-handed bookseller, those booksellers who actually do most of the physical fighting. His sister Vivien is right-handed, part of the group that mostly is in charge of learning, but also has a number of magical talents. Susan winds up fleeing with Merlin as they are pursued by several supernatural threats.
Merlin and Vivien realize that some of these threats are just coincidence, that they are aimed at Susan, and that her father must be more than what she thinks he might be. In fact, Susan herself, even if she doesn't know it, may be more than just an ordinary young woman.
This is a very enjoyable bit of world building, with compelling and likable characters and a fast moving, often exciting plot. It's the first in a series, and I hope to give the others a try. ...more
Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front is the classic novel of the First World War. It's the brutal story of a group of Germans on the Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front is the classic novel of the First World War. It's the brutal story of a group of Germans on the front lines, told by Paul, one of the group -- a group that gets smaller as the novel progresses. It's full of ugly but unforgettable scenes portraying the horror of life in the trenches.
I've been reading more on WWI and also watching an online course on it, and all that lead me here, which truly gives a feel for how bad it was. ...more
In a period of a bit over 15 years, Vernor Vinge wrote three of the best science fiction novels of the last half century: A Fire Upon the Deep, A DeepIn a period of a bit over 15 years, Vernor Vinge wrote three of the best science fiction novels of the last half century: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky, and Rainbows End. All three are remarkably creative, combining interesting characters, exciting situations, and incredible ideas. The first two are set in space, in the far future. Rainbows End, by contrast, is set in on Earth -- mostly in and around San Diego -- in the not too distant future. It also features remarkable ideas, but ideas that it's easy to believe could turn into real things very soon.
In the world of Rainbows End, intelligence operatives are constantly analyzing data and trends, trying to stop terrorist attacks before they happen. One European analyst latches onto two seemingly unrelated things: a seemingly harmless virus and an add that a huge number of people respond to. But digging deeper, he concludes that it's an experiment in mind control: people with the virus could be made to obey instructions. He and two colleagues form a secret group to track down the source, tracking it to a bio lab in San Diego, and ally with a mysterious remote entity that calls itself Rabbit to infiltrate the lab.
But the center of the story is Robert Gu, a once great poet who had been struck down by alzheimer's, but whose mind and youth have been restored by medical miracles. He is living with his Son Robert Jr. and his daughter in law Alice (both involved in terrorist prevention) and their brilliant daughter Miri. But as the novel progresses, their actions become intertwined with the plot (and plots within that plot) of the security team trying to infiltrate the bio lab.
The future world pictured in this novel is both incredible and believable. All but some of the very old and hidebound have wearable technology, viewing the world through contact lenses that change what they are seeing, given them instant access to information, and enable virtual geatherings in far better ways than our current Zoom meetings. Robert senior starts out not knowing how to do this (and even dismissive of it). But Miri is a marvel at it, and she is perhaps the best character in the book (though the Robert's character arc is the most important).
This is a great novel, the third straight by Vinge to win a Hugo. I read it when it was first published, and just finished rereading it. It's as thrilling and as though provoking now as it was then. ...more
Sir Hereward is a rare male descendent of witches. Mister Fitz is an animated puppet, of a type usually ensorcelled simply to be entertainers, but it Sir Hereward is a rare male descendent of witches. Mister Fitz is an animated puppet, of a type usually ensorcelled simply to be entertainers, but it Fitz's case he has tremendous magical powers. Together they pursue rogue godlets and banish them from their dimension.
This is an entraining collection of stories, where our two heroes encounter a number of malignant entities. Sir Herward and Mister Fitz in many ways gave me the feel of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser in the way the characters interact, and the feel of the stories often reminded me of that of Fritz Leiber's stories. I hope Nix decides to write more. ...more
Dan Jones is perhaps the best wrier of the histories of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. He has a lively, well crafted style, and does a great jobDan Jones is perhaps the best wrier of the histories of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. He has a lively, well crafted style, and does a great job of conveying even complicated issues (and the Wars of the Roses is certainly one) to the reader, but grounding all his work in accurate historical detail.
After Henry V died unexpectedly young, his heir, soon to be crowned as Henry VI, was still a child. This started a series of fights between various nobles of the kingdom as to who should advise the king and control the country in the time of his childhood. But even when Henry grew to adulthood, he was still an ineffective, indecisive, often sickly king, more given to pious thought than kingship, so the battles over the kingdom continued. The two great rival factions, the houses of York and Lancaster (loosely, as there were changing allegiances throughout) battled for control.
Things settled down a bit when Edward IV, a son of Richard of York, took the throne. He was a effective king, but he too died relatively young, leaving only a young child as an heir, and soon it was his brother Richard, crowned as Richard III, who took the crown by force, until he himself was killed at the Battle of Bosworth by the forces of the soon-to-be Henry VII.
All the ins and outs, the various nobles changing sides, the political games, and so on are very complex, but Jones makes it comprehensible (though I did find myself paging back to earlier sections to remind myself of who was who).
Highly recommended. I have his newest book, a biography of Henry V, in my to-be-read bookcase, and hope to get to it soon. ...more
Cordelia's mother is a sorceress, who makes Cordelia be "obedient" by taking over her body. But her mother has twin goals in life: to marry rich and tCordelia's mother is a sorceress, who makes Cordelia be "obedient" by taking over her body. But her mother has twin goals in life: to marry rich and to have Cordelia marry a rich man. And to reach these goals she's willing to kill. The two are taken in by a rich man, who lives with just his sister, as the mother plots to entice him into marriage. Cordelia meanwhile tries, secretly, to work with Hester, the sister, to find a way to stop the marriage and, more importantly, to stop her mother.
This is an often dark but thoroughly entertaining and imaginative fairy tale of a novel. It will be on my Hugo nominations ballot this year. ...more
At the start of Bury Your Dead, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is on leave in Quebec City, recovering fRating: 4.5/5 if Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ allowed half stars.
At the start of Bury Your Dead, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is on leave in Quebec City, recovering from a police action gone wrong, one that will explained as the novel unfolds. His deputy, Jean-Guy Beauvoir is also recovering, at home in Montreal as the novel opens. The novel then intertwines three storylines.
In the first, an amateur archeologist who is obsessed with finding the body of Champlain is found murdered in the basement of the English Literary and Historical Society in Quebec City. The police investigator there asks Gamache for advice, and Gamache sets out to discover the who and the why of the murder. It also provides some interesting background on Quebec history and culture.
In the previous novel, A Brutal Telling, Olivier had been arrested by Gamache for murder. Olivier’s partner, Gabri, is convinced he was innocent, and keeps writing to Gamache to say so. Gamache begins to have doubts, and asks Beauvoir to go to the small town of Three Pines to quietly reopen the case. Beauvoir is doubtful, and at the start he doesn’t really like the town or its people, but as he investigates he begins to find out more, and to understand the residents of Three Pines more deeply.
The story of the police investigation that injured both Gamache and Beauvoir is woven throughout the novel. Gamache had gotten a call: one agent had been killed and another was held captive. The captor claims to have rigged a bomb that will kill the captive in 24 hours, and that Gamache must stay on the phone with the captive for that entire time or he bomb will go off. Gamache does, but as time progresses he becomes convinced that there is something more going on here than simply a traffic stop gone wrong, that the kidnapper is more than a farmer who was smuggling drugs in his truck. He and his team must figure out what is happening, and it turns out to be something much bigger.
This is another very good entry in the series. The characters not only continue to be interesting but continue to grow with their experiences. Recommended. ...more
The so-called Southern Front of World War I is less well known to most people than the Western Front. It was fought in northern Italy, with the ItaliaThe so-called Southern Front of World War I is less well known to most people than the Western Front. It was fought in northern Italy, with the Italians facing the Austro-Hungarians and, later, some German troops, who came to support their allies. The main character a Farewell to Arms is an American who, before America entered the war, joined the Italian army and became an ambulance driver.
The most vivid and memorable parts of the novel involve the war: the actions on the front, the wounding and recovery of the main character, his interaction with the other drivers and doctors, the great retreat when the Central Powers broke the Italian line, the near-capture of the main character by the Italian militia during the retreat as they looked for spies and traitors and shot anyone they suspected.
The novel also tells the story of the main character meeting and falling in love with a British nurse. This part is less memorable, in part because the dialog seems repetitive and frankly a bit annoying at times. Even so, there are parts of this that are well done, including the couple's escape to Switzerland.
Overall I liked it. I also suspect that it was more impressive based on its style to the readers at the time of its original publication. But Hemingway's style has so impacted so much of what came later, that what he did no longer seems as innovative as it likely was at the time. ...more
A robot valet kills its master while shaving him but doesn't know why. Thus starts the odyssey of Uncharles, as he seeks to find new employment. FirstA robot valet kills its master while shaving him but doesn't know why. Thus starts the odyssey of Uncharles, as he seeks to find new employment. First he hopes to get diagnosed and repaired, but when he reaches the total beuqacratic and stagnant mess of the diagnostic station, he meets The Wonk, someone he takes to be a malfunctioning administrative unit, who accompanies Uncharles, trying to convince him that he has become sentient.
This is a marvelous, often Swiftian, novel. It looks at how things would function if the characters just followed strict algorithms, as both Uncharles at times and the various robots he encounters are trapped by their own program. Tchaikovsky takes his characters through a hellish and memorable landscape, poking at many of our contemporary issues, ranging from the lives of workers, how management works, the military, justice, and religion.
This is one of two very good novels by Tchaikovsky this year, and both will be on my Hugo nominations ballot. ...more
Niko Larsen, former admiral for the Holy Hive Mind and now retired, along with a number of her former colleagues, has set up a restaurant on the spaceNiko Larsen, former admiral for the Holy Hive Mind and now retired, along with a number of her former colleagues, has set up a restaurant on the space station TwiceFar. As the novel starts, she and her team are preparing for the arrival of an important food critic, who, if they provide a good review, could make the restaurant’s fortune. To complicate matters, at around the same time, a) Niko receives a mysterious package � a shipping crate containing a person in hibernation; b) a large booking from a naval officer she knows, who wants to talk to her; and c) a request from a famous, rich racer who wants to meet the food critic.
But when the space station is attacked and destroyed. they must flee to the racer’s bishop, the You Sexy Thing. The racer is killed along the way, but a group of them, including the critic and the person who was in stasis, to the ship. What follows is a series of adventures, including travel to a pirate planet, where the head pirate has a major grudge against Niko.
The characters, human and alien are well drawn. I especially liked the ship itself, usually just called Thing, for short, as it becomes more sentient and learns emotions as it interacts with Niko and company.
All and all, it’s very entertaining, and comes to a good conclusion, though there are a few open threads set up for he sequel.
There are two minor annoyances:
-- Often the point of view character changes jarringly, from paragraph to paragraph. I keep finding myself having to backtrack a paragraph or two to reorient myself. A blank line between shifts would have helped.
-- The book is a science fiction space opera, or at least is 95+ percent of the time. But here and there is mention of magic, which really doesn’t seem necessary. ...more
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