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May 1, 2005
Books
The Pardon: Audiobook
by James Grippando
There are two Swyteks in this book -- one an attorney and the other the governor. They are both being terrorized by the same psycho. But just for a little bit.
"R" is for Ricochet
by Sue Grafton
Kinsey is hired to escort Reba, just released from prison, home from the joint and is asked to keep an eye on her for a day or two.
Things sort of snowball -- it would be a boring story if they didn't -- and Kinsey's involvment grows a bit more than she expected.
"Q" is for Quarry
by Sue Grafton
Kinsey is helping two retired law enforcement guys work on a cold case. A body had been found, as they so often are, by a quary many years before.
Kinsey meets another relative or two.
"O" is for Outlaw
by Sue Grafton
We all knew I'd get around to reading "O" is for Outlaw, and I did a short while back. I'm currently working my way throught "R" is for Ricochet having made a stop at "Q" is for Quarry on the way. I'm a little fuzzon the what the "O" plot was.
"P" is for Peril
by Sue Grafton
A friend of mine once messed up a sobriety test by skipping "Q" when asked to recite the alphabet. Somehow I missed "O" in Sue Grafton's Alphabet Series. What can I say?
The books continue to be well worth reading.
"N" is for Noose
by Sue Grafton
It was getting too hard to make heads or tails out of the HTML involved in getting all the Grafton books together, and I haven't had the time to put all this stuff together in its own page .. so I keep modifying the Books entry. So, "Noose" gets its own section.
Blowout: Audiobook
by Catherine Coulter
I just started listening to this audiobook. Savitch and Sherlock take a break in the Poconos only to be called back to the office to work on a murder but not before Savitch has a supernatural experience.
Blindside: Audiobook
by Catherine Coulter
Like the other audiobooks, I listened to this one as I took my evening strolls. This one starts out with a little boy named Sam being kidnapped and his escape from the kidnappers (this isn't really a spoiler -- it's a small part of the story). At the moment it was clear he'd made his getaway I teared up. I hate seeing kids in trouble in movies and, it would seem, I don't care to read about them in danger. Maybe this was more of a strain as I have a little boy just a bit older than the one in the story; and his name is Sam.
"E" is for Evidence "F" is for Fugitive "G" is for Gumshoe
"H" is for Homicide "I" is for Innocent "J" is for Judgement
"K" is for Killer "L" is for Lawless "M" is for Malice
by Sue Grafton
I continue to tear through the Kinsey Millhone books and Kinsey continues to tear through the cases. As I write this her apartment has just been rebuilt and she's on her way to the Mohave Desert to work a case. (I started "G is for Gumshoe" on February 3, 2006; "I" is for Innocent on February 8.}
Eleventh Hour: Audiobook
by Catherine Coulter
Special Agent Dane Carver's twin brother -- a priest with a long priest name that slips my mind ... I always know when they're talking about him as each reference starts 'Father' -- is murdered in the confessional. Dane sets about solving the murder. It's been a very good book to listen too; I'll probably work my way through Ms. Coulter's other books.
God and Mr. Gomez: Audiobook
by Jack Smith
Smith and his wife catch wind of an opportunity to build a vacation home in Mexico. Americans aren't allowed to own land in Mexico -- just lease it for 10-year periods. This is the story of how they got over their worries and built their home with the help of the landowner, Mr. Gomez. The building process is a little looser than a person might experience in, say, the United States. So far it has been an entertaining tale.
Star Trek Movie Memories
by William Shatner
An audiobook. Bill tells the story of his Star Trek Movie Memories. Things have not always been wine and roses for Bill though he doesn't come across as a complainer.
Like the other audiobooks there are bits and pieces that are humorous.
Star Trek Memories
by William Shatner
An audiobook. Bill tells the story of Star Trek.
Like the other Shatner audiobook, I've been listening to this as I take my evening walks. My evening treks pretty much take me the same way each night ... and where a lot of men have gone before ... but I always go boldly.
"D" is for Deadbeat
by Sue Grafton
The fourth in Sue Grafton's series featuring Kinsey Millhone.
"C" is for Corpse
by Sue Grafton
The third in Sue Grafton's series featuring Kinsey Millhone.
"B" is for Burglar
by Sue Grafton
When I was younger I used to pronounce "burglar" as "burg-u-lar." It was my version of "nuke-u-lar." And while I wasn't President of the United States and misspeaking in front of the world, I was in my teens before I caught the error of my ways.
The second in Sue Grafton's series featuring Kinsey Millhone.
(Jaunary 18, 2006)
Get a Life : Audiobook
by William Shatner
read by: William Shatner
I've been listening to this as I take my evening strolls.
Bill tells stories of getting pooped on by an elephant and getting sprayed by a skunk and having a little old lady give him the finger as he tried to hitch hike. There are also, and the book is composed primarily of, Trek Convention and Star Trek stories.
(January 14, 2006)
"A" is for Alibi
by Sue Grafton
Kinsey Millhone, if I've spelled that correctly, is an early-30's something detective. At least she was back in 1985 when this book was published. We'll have to see if she's 50-something when I get to the current book.
Not a bad book. It looks like this will be an interesting series.
Kinsey has sex with a guy about midway through the read which, I think, puts here on a slower pace than Harry Bosch or Gabriel Allon.
Sue Grafton is all the way up to "S" so I should be busy for a while.
(January 12, 2006)
Reliquary
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs
Oh my goodness. More people are turning up dead in NYC. Not a big surprise, usually. However, in this case the deaths to be uncomfortably similar to those that had come before ... in Relic. Fortunately, the same cast of characters is on-hand to sort things out: Margo Green, Special Agent Pendergast, Bill Smithback and Lt. Vincent d'Agosta.
I'm sure all will end well.
Relic
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs
I believe this is the book that first introduced us to Agent Pendergast. He isn't the primary character in this book, but it's nice to have him back, even if it's in a prequel kind of way. Other favorites are here too -- Bill Smithback and Margo Green.
People are getting killed in the museum. We don't know who or what is doing the killing yet. I'm sure it's not Agent P., Bill or Margo. (January 3, 2006)
A Death in Vienna
by Daniel Silva
More of Gabriel Allon's exploits. A bit on Pope Pius and what he did or didn't do to help Jews and Nazis during the war.
What can I say. I like stuff like this. (January 1, 2006)
Freakonomics
by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
What do nylons and crack cocaine have in common? Sumo wrestlers and real estate agents? Why do drug dealers live at home. How would you go about catching cheating teachers administering standardized tests? Why would those teachers cheat?
So far this has been a very entertaining and interesting book to read. There's a little bit of sex and drugs. Some rock and roll too, if you count the mention of the Grateful Dead.
Six Bad Things
by Charles Huston
The second in a book featuring Hank Thompson. In the first book, which I seem to have left off my list here, Hank is asked to watch after a buddy's cat. There are a bunch of people after the buddy, well the four million dollars he has, and Hank ends up killing them all -- reluctantly. In the end he flees to Mexico.
This book starts off with Hank living the easy life (sort of) until a Russian hiker shows up. The four million dollars, by the way, belonged to the Russian mob. Hank kills the hiker after a threat is made against his family. This leads to Hank being on the run again. (December 29, 2005)
Live From New York
by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller
"An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as told by its Stars, Writers and Guests"
And honest-to-goodness hardbound book; not an e-book. My sister gave this to me for Christmas. There are 564 pages before you get to the index.
I remember watching SNL when it first started. I recall seeing a lot of things mentioned in the book, well, live.
The book, though, is not just a recounting of sketch after sketch. There's some of that but there's also a lot of behind the scenes and away from the scenes stuff. It is very good.
Oh ... and just like a lot of the detective novels I've read, there's sex, some violence, and some rock and roll. And drugs.
The Confessor
by Daniel Silva
The Mossad. The Vatican. All that's missing is rap music.
Okay, I'm not really all that far into this book and I'm unlikely to update this when I finish the book. I still don't know who Gabe is likely to sleep with.
I started reading just before Christmas and then found myself with a juice-less PDA and no way to recharge it.
I've liked the other Daniel Silva books I've read; I expect to like this one as well.(December 2005)
The English Assassin
by Daniel Silva
The main character is a reluctant Israeli spy. Does anything else need to be said? Wait, I said that before.
Reading this book, along with the Harry Bosch books and the Joe Kurtz novels, has led me to believe that I need to become a more tortured soul. Those guys get all the chicks. It must be the angst they exude. (December 2005)
The Kill Artist
by Daniel Silva
The main character is a reluctant Israeli spy. Does anything else need to be said?
I need to do some reading on Jewish History (recent, post WWII). If the historical asides in this book are accurate ... well, it just bears some additional research. (December 2005)
Hard Freeze
by Dan Simmons
Somebody is trying to kill Joe Kurtz again. Sometimes life is just a bitch. I read through this book in two days. I'll get the next in the series when the price drops a little. (December 2005)
The Narrows
by Michael Connelly
I'd decided to take a Michael Connelly break and had purchased something else to read next ... but ... the ending of Lost Light struck me in such a way that I had to buy The Narrows just to see what happens next. (December 4, 2005)
Lost Light
by Michael Connelly
As I lay in bed I was able to use my Palm T/X to make a wireless connection through my home router. I went to eReader.com and purchased, downloaded, and installed this book to my PDA.
Sweet!
Harry has finally left the LAPD is is working as a PI.
City of Bones
by Michael Connelly
LAPD Detective Harry Bosch is still on the job. A different unsolved murder. A different gal to snuggle with. With some help from a bout of insomnia that hit me at 3 a.m. I was able to tear through this book in two days.
What can I say. I like stuff like this.
The Codex
by Douglas Preston
Another e-book. Maxwell Broadbent is dying of cancer. His three sons, somewhat of a disappointment to him, stand to inherit a half-billion in art and gems. But only if they can find the treasure. Max has decided to take it with him.
Chasing the Dime
by Michael Connelly
Another e-book. Another title by Michael Connelly.
Henry Pierce is a chemist on the verge of cutting loose some serious nanotechnology. His girlfriend gets tired of all his late hours and gives him the boot forcing Henry to seek new digs in an apartment. His new phone number used to belong to an escort -- he keeps getting her calls.
Curious about what happened to the escort, Henry starts doing some detective work and ends up in trouble.
I'm halfway through as I write this. So far, so good.
The Poet
by Michael Connelly
At first glance it looked like Jack McEvoy's twin brother, a homicide detective, committed suicide. Jack, a reporter for a Colorado newspaper, decides to write a story about cops killing themselves and uncovers a series of similar-sounding suicides across the country.
A Darkness More than Night
by Michael Connelly
I've enjoyed the Harry Bosch novels and thought I'd continue with A Darkness More than Night. This book features Terrence McNabb as an FBI agent. According to the cover Terry is looking for a murderer of some sort -- well, of the people-killing sort -- and our pal Harry Bosch seems to fit as a good suspect.
I've skipped Connelley's Bloodwork which, I believe, is where Terry is introduced. I saw the movie. I love Clint Eastwood. Didn't care for the movie.
Harry Bosch Novels, Vol. 2
by Michael Connelly
Another compilation of Michael Connelly's work. The three books in this volume are: The Last Coyote, Trunk Music and Angels Flight.
I liked the last three I read and thought I'd continue with these.
Harry Bosch Novels, Vol. 1
by Michael Connelly
A compilation of three Michael Connelly novels: The Black Echo, The Black Ice and The Concrete Blond.
I just don't have it in me to provide any type of in-depth literary analysis. I'm probably not that deep.
Having said that, I enjoyed these three novels. Harry Bosch is an LAPD detective who lives by his own set of rules. That's certainly how the movie trailer will go if this character ever hits the big screen. (Don't they all go that way? "Willy Wonka is a candy maker who lives by his own set of rules ...")
The novels are certainly interesting. The Concrete Blond had some surprises that tied in nicely with the first two books.
I like the Harry Bosch character well enough to keep reading through the series.
Hardcase
by Dan Simmons
From the e-reader site: Joe Kurtz has been wronged one too many times. When he takes out the drug-dealing thug who killed his girlfriend, the ex-PI gets to cool his heels for 11 years in Attica. There that he meets the son of Byron Farino, a New York mob boss. Kurtz goes to work for Don Farino in Buffalo, where one wrong move could mean a belly-full of lead
Hmmm. A belly-full of lead. It's gotta be good.
Update: Not a bad book. The end is kind of tidy. I'll read more of these.
Missing, Presumed Undead
by Jeremy Davies
In July, eReader.com was giving away a free e-book daily; this is one of the freebies I got.
Rhys is a magical sword of letter opener size. His owner is a minotaur who happens to be a detective. The usual cast of orcs, elves, kobolds, etc. pop up here and there.
The book is funny enough and the author has a nice wit. One of the deceased is named Mr. Wells, and I always like to see a Wells mentioned.
After all is said and done: Not a bad book. I'll keep an eye open for others by the same author.
The Rule of Four
by Ian Caldwell, Dustin Thomason
This is a bestseller and described by one reviewer like this: "Caldwell and Thomason have created a stunning first novel; a perfect blend of suspense and a sensitive coming of age story. If Scott Fitzgerald, Umberto Eco, and Dan Brown teamed up to write a novel, the result would be The Rule of Four. An extraordinary and brilliant accomplishment—a must read."
I'm about half the way through. Thus far it is not a must read.
Update: I finished the book. It picks up toward about 2/3 of the way through and ends well enough.
Brimstone, The Cabinet of Curiosities, Dance of Death, Ice Limit, Riptide, Still Life With Crows, and Thunder Head
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Again, I read all of these in e-book format. If I were to do it over I'd start with the first books Preston and Child had written by themselves and together and read them in order of publication. As it stands I've read all of the available e-books except The Codex. The books are all very good. I'll admit that I suspected that I knew whodunit early on in two of the Agent Pendergast books, but they were still enjoyable. I plan on getting their non-e-book works and reading them as well.
Sorry about being too lazy to write a blurb about each book. It's summer. I'm a slug.
The Salmon of Doubt
by Douglas Adams
I read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the other three books in the trilogy (yes, there were four, maybe five total), gosh, a good long time ago. I also read Dirk Gently.
In the years that have passed I've wondered what happened to Douglas Adams. I'd assumed he'd quit writing. It would seem I was wrong, he was writing quite a bit, it just wasn't showing up in anything I read.
The Salmon of Doubt is a collection of some of these articles. The introduction suggests that the material in the book was culled from Adams' computers after he died. I seem to recall that the introduction said some of the material is unpublished and there may be bits and pieces of a novel waiting for me in the upcoming chapters.
I could reread the introduction, I guess, to get a handle on what's coming up. But I won't; I'm having too good a time moving forward.
You should really read this one.
Sick Puppy
by Carl Hiaasen
This will be the third book in a row I've read by Carl Hiaasen. All three have been in e-Book format.
The other books have been entertaining. The main male characters in both of the other books have been 52 and 47-years old. Both characters have ended up with women twenty years their junior. What's not to like?
Update: Twilly Spree has trouble with litterbugs and, well, people in general. Having had a small fortune left to him he is free to Keep Florida Beautiful using some unconventional means.
He does the things we all sometimes wish we could do. He avoids jail. He gets the girl.
I give it two thumbs up ... though the other two books I've readby Carl Hiaasen edge this one out a bit.
Basket Case
by Carl Hiaasen
This is another e-book purchase. I enjoyed Skinny Dip so much that I bought another Carl Hiaasen book.
Jack Tagger is a newspaper man. Well, he used to be anyway. He ticked off one of the bigshots and was demoted to writing obituaries.
The problem with being the obit writer, or Jack's problem anyway, is that you have a keen awareness of when, and sometimes where, people died. It can become a little bit of a hangup as you try to rank your life's accomplishements in terms of your age versus say, the accomplishments of JFK or Elvis.
An ex-famous singer has died. Jack wants to make his obit more a tribute in one of the main sections of the paper rather than a few lines burried in the obit section. As he interviews friends and family he develops suspicions about what might have actually happened to the singer.
Sex? Drugs? Rock & Roll? Yes on all three counts. Well worth reading.
Skinny Dip
by Carl Hiaasen
I stumbled across this book while bouncing around the web looking for nothing in particular. Someone else recommended it on their website and it sounded intriguing.
Joey and Chaz set off on a romantic second-anniversary cruise. Midway through Chaz tosses his wife over the side of the ship certain she'll end up as shark food. Had that been the case, Skinny Dip would have been about 40 pages long and not nearly worth the $15.00 I paid for it (in eBook format).
As luck would have it Joey was the co-captain of her college swim team. After some time in the water she comes to realize that swimming for one's life in the ocean is not exactly the same as competing for medals in a heated pool. Approaching exhaustion she brushes up against something in the water that saves her life: a talking dolphin.
Not really.
Heft On Wheels
A Field Guide to Doing a 180
by Mike Magnuson
Mike Manguson spent much of his adult life drinking, smoking and over eating. As he approached 39 years of age he decided he needed to make a change. He'd always enjoyed cycling -- even though he sometimes had trouble sticking with it for great periods of time -- and decided he'd work at becoming the best he could be on a bike. An expensive bike.
He goes from being the guy some of the other's in his ride group refer to as someone 'who shouldn't be here' to a leader of the pack.
Along the way he rides up and down a couple of mountains, gets hit by a truck, drops a bunch of weight, and gives up his vices (and the way of life that accompanies them) -- not in that order.
He tells his story much better and I tell of the way he tells his story. That is, the book is always interesting and often humerous. (And this review bites the big one. Whattaya want for nothing? Rubber Biscuit?)
Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children
by Greg Bear
I'd had my eye on Darwin's Radio at the eReader website. It sounded interesting enough and at $6.50 the price was right. As I went to buy it I noticed I could get Darwin's Children at a special price (“just click ADD,” the website instructed) if I bought it at the same time. I assumed it would add something under $6.50 for the second book – and I'd get two books for ten or eleven dollars. So, I clicked.
One book for $6.50. Two books for $4.99. Which makes the special price negative $1.51. Sweet.
In Darwin's Radio we find that the next step in human-evolutionary development has started. In fact, it appears that there have been a couple of recent starts in the past several decades but they've all been 'controlled' by way of military action. Children are being born with the ability to talk among other things. Naturally, the general population is freaked
Darwin's Children takes the story several steps further. The children – virus children as they are called by the panicked portion of the populace – have been sent to schools. The schools don't attempt to teach the children anything, they are just places to keep them all together and out of the way.
The kids are tired of being in the school. Their parents are tired of them being there as well. Things start to happen. Political alliances change. Some people that you want to see get theirs get theirs. Old friends reappear. Old Yeller gets rabies and has to be put down. Mars finally gets the women it needs
OK, most of that happens.Some of it doesn't.
Posted by delmer at May 1, 2005 11:29 PM
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