Wolfy’s Revisiting the Category Challenge for 2019

Introduction to my challenge


I originally joined the group way back in 2009 for the 999 challenge and after a 2 year hiatus I feel it’s time I returned and what better way to do so than with an homage to my first time. So I’m going to use the same categories as I did back then with a few minor tweaks. I had two author themed categories and don’t want to read that many books by a single author this time around. As the first was mainly based on rereading books from a series and I do want to revisit some books from my past then it was easy enough to change that. For the other I’m combining it into a two author category instead. I’m also changing the spirit of another to an anything else selection as I’ve got far too many books on the tbr shelves as it is to be picking up new ones outside of my comfort zone.

Here's the categories:

1. Revisiting old friends - it’s time for some re-reads
2. Why haven’t I read this yet? (and I profess to be a Sci-Fi/Fantasy fan)
3. And now for something completely different – stuff that doesn’t fit in any other category
4. Watching the detectives - Mysteries, Thrillers, Crime etc.
5. Book watch – had a film or tv series connected to the work
6. Moore or Elmore – Books by Christopher Moore or Elmore Leonard
7. New in Sci-Fi & Fantasy - New books in this genre (released within the last couple of years or so)
8. Impulse buys and recommends - BB’s and other interesting pickups
9. Continuations - Next book(s) in a series I’ve already started




As always, everything is subject to change. Comments and suggestions also welcomed.

Revisiting old friends - it’s time for some re-reads



1. One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night by Christopher Brookmyre (Msg63 22/02/19) 5★'s
2. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (Msg114 11/05/19) 4★'s
3. Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig (Msg144 02/08/19) 4★'s
4. The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel (Msg145 12/08/19) 3½★'s
5. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (Msg150 29/10/19) 4★'s

Classic SF&F – Why haven’t I read this yet?



1. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin (Msg31 07/01/19) 4★'s
2. To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer (Msg66 28/02/19) 3½★'s
3. Pirates of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Msg136 22/06/19) 3★'s
4. The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany (Msg150 30/09/19) 2½★'s

And now for something completely different – stuff that doesn’t fit in any other category



1. Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland (Msg58 16/02/19) 4★'s
2. Richer Than God by David Conn (Msg110 03/05/19) 3½★'s
3. Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw (Msg150 10/10/19) 3★'s
4. Flashman by George Macdonald Fraser (Msg150 19/10/19) 3½★'s
5. Permanent Record by Edward Snowden (Msg150 23/10/19) 4★'s
6. Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book One by Alan Moore (Msg150 01/11/19) 4★'s

Watching the Detectives - Mysteries, Thrillers, Crime etc.



1. Rilke on Black by Ken Bruen (Msg63 20/02/19) 3½★'s
2. Rule 34 by Charles Stross (Msg80 10/03/19) 3½★'s
3. The White Trilogy by Ken Bruen (Msg93 29/03/19) 3½★'s
4. Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey (Msg139 16/07/19) 3½★'s
5. Dog Will Have His Day by Fred Vargas (Msg145 02/09/19) 3½★'s
6. A Climate of Fear by Fred Vargas (Msg150 15/12/19) 4★'s

Book Watch – Association to Film or TV Show



1. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (Msg23 02/01/19) 3★'s
2. Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley (Msg105 26/04/19) 4★'s
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1 by John Vornholt (Msg109 29/04/19) 3★'s
4. All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (Msg111 05/05/19) 4★'s
5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Msg136 06/06/19) 4★'s

4 Moore or Elmore – Books by Christopher Moore or Elmore Leonard



1. Hombre by Elmore Leonard (Msg49 31/01/19) 3½★'s
2. Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore (Msg57 13/02/19) 3½★'s
3. You Suck by Christopher Moore (Msg144 29/07/19) 4★'s
4. Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard (Msg154 26/12/19) 3½★'s

Impulse Buys and Recommends - BB’s and other interesting pickups



1. Those Above by Daniel Polansky (Msg43 17/01/19) 4★'s
2. Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (Msg55 09/02/19) 4★'s
3. Futuristic Violence & Fancy Suits by David Wong (Msg136 30/06/19) 4★'s
4. Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer (Msg154 26/12/19) 3½★'s

New in Sci-Fi & Fantasy - New books in this genre (released within the last couple of years or so)



1. Those Below by Daniel Polansky (Msg47 29/01/19) 4½★'s
2. Gnomon by Nick Harkaway (Msg92 27/03/19) 5★'s
3. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (Msg104 14/04/19) 4★'s
4. Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch (Msg131 17/05/19) 4★'s
5. Autonomous by Annalee Newitz (Msg150 08/11/19) 4★'s
6. Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? by Paul Cornell (Msg150 23/12/19) 4★'s

Continuations - Next book(s) in series



1. The Ghost Riders of Ordebec by Fred Vargas (Msg45 24/01/19) 4½★'s
2. Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey (Msg54 06/02/19) 4★'s
3. The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Msg96 07/04/19) 4★'s
4. In the Galway Silence by Ken Bruen (Msg134 22/05/19) 3½★'s
5. Brief Cases by Jim Butcher (Msg137 04/07/19) 4★'s
6. Miles Errant by Lois McMaster Bujold (Msg144 25/07/19) 4½★'s
7. Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig (Msg144 06/08/19) 4★'s
8. The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel (Msg145 27/08/19) 3½★'s
9. The Cormorant by Chuck Wendig (Msg149 15/09/19) 4★'s
10. The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell (Msg150 19/09/19) 4★'s
11. Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King (Msg150 01/12/19) 4★'s
12. The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard (Msg150 09/12/19) 4★'s

There, all set up and ready to go again. It's good to be back!

Going to make a note here of Kit's & Cat's that have piqued my interest for this year. Even though I've not joined in with the challenge for the last couple of years I've tried to follow along with the SFFKit although for varying reasons I don't think I've ever managed a full year so this might inspire me to do just that.

SFFKIT
January - Those Above by Daniel Polansky (Msg43 17/01/19) 4★'s
February - Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey (Msg54 06/02/19) 4★'s
March - Gnomon by Nick Harkaway (Msg92 27/03/19) 5★'s
April - The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Msg96 07/04/19) 4★'s
May - All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (Msg111 05/05/19) 4★'s
June - The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Msg136 06/06/19) 4★'s
July - Miles Errant by Lois McMaster Bujold (Msg144 25/07/19) 4½★'s
August - The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel (Msg145 12/08/19) 3½★'s
September - The Cormorant by Chuck Wendig (Msg149 15/09/19) 4★'s
September - The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell (Msg150 19/09/19) 4★'s
October - Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw (Msg150 10/10/19) 3★'s
November - Autonomous by Annalee Newitz (Msg150 08/11/19) 4★'s
December - The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard (Msg150 09/12/19) 4★'s
December - Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? by Paul Cornell (Msg150 23/12/19) 4★'s

SeriesCAT
January - The Ghost Riders of Ordebec by Fred Vargas (Msg45 24/01/19) 4½★'s
February - Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (Msg55 09/02/19) 4★'s
March - The White Trilogy by Ken Bruen (Msg93 29/03/19) 3½★'s
April - The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Msg96 07/04/19) 4★'s
May - Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch (Msg131 17/05/19) 4★'s
May - In the Galway Silence by Ken Bruen (Msg134 22/05/19) 3½★'s
June - Pirates of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Msg136 22/06/19) 3★'s
July - Brief Cases by Jim Butcher (Msg137 04/07/19) 4★'s
August - The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel (Msg145 27/08/19) 3½★'s
October - Flashman by George Macdonald Fraser (Msg150 10/10/19) 3½★'s
December - Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer (Msg154 26/12/19) 3½★'s

Others
ScaredyKIT January - Lord of the Flies by William Golding (Msg23 02/01/19) 3★'s
ScaredyKIT February - Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (Msg55 09/02/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT February - Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore (Msg57 13/02/19) 3½★'s
TBRCat March - Rule 34 by Charles Stross (Msg80 10/03/19) 3½★'s
ScaredyKIT April - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (Msg104 14/04/19) 4★'s
TBRCat April - Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1 by John Vornholt (Msg109 29/04/19) 3★'s
ScaredyKIT May - Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (Msg114 11/05/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT June - Futuristic Violence & Fancy Suits by David Wong (Msg136 30/06/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT July - Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey (Msg139 16/07/19) 3½★'s
ScaredyKIT September - The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell (Msg150 19/09/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT October - The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (Msg150 29/10/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT October - Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book One by Alan Moore (Msg150 01/11/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT November - Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King (Msg150 01/12/19) 4★'s
ScaredyKIT December - Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? by Paul Cornell (Msg150 23/12/19) 4★'s

Welcome back, Wolfy! Looking forward to seeing how you fill those categories :)

Looks like you will have some great reads!

Welcome back, Wolfy! Enjoy your reading!

Welcome back, Dave!

Dave it's nice to see you back in the CC! I hope 2019 treats you well.

Great categories!

Happy New Year!

Those categories should bring you some good reading.

Happy reading!

Hi Wolfy, I see we're both making returns to the forums this year. I'll look forward to seeing your reading progress in 2019.

Great categories, Dave! I'll look forward to seeing how you fill them.

Happy New Year!

Thanks all. Always good to see some familiar faces and even a new one. I'll get around to checking on everyone's challenge at some point but for now here's the first book of the year...

Book Watch - Lord of the Flies by William Golding



A group of schoolboys of various ages survive a plane crash only to find themselves stuck on a remote island with no grown-ups to care for them. Selecting a leader who prioritises shelter and a fire to create smoke to signal any passing ships events quickly spiral into anarchy when another boy thinks he would make a better chief. Who will win out in the battle for supremacy and will the chosen one lead them to rescue or not?

This classic story takes a look into the nature of humanity when all forms of law and order are lost. Is our leaning towards civilisation only skin deep? Would we too also descend into savagery if we didn’t have rules to follow? It’s a fairly quick and easy read with a very abrupt ending. I’m sure a reader could dig a lot of meanings and symbolism from this work if so desired. Me, I just wanted to read the story. 3★'s

I read ‘Lord of the Flies’ when I was a teenager ie more than 40 years ago. There are a couple of scenes in it that I have never been able to forget.

oh, good idea continuation of series in a category. I'll keep that in mind for next year!

>23 AHS-Wolfy: I studied this one in high school (30 years ago!) and have also been unable to forget it. I have it down as a re-read for this year or next year. My 10 year old asked to read it as it is in the 1001 Childrens Books, but I think not!

>23 AHS-Wolfy: - That story left a really strong impression with me when it was assigned reading for English class, waaaayyyyy back in the day.

>23 AHS-Wolfy: - I think I was scarred for life by that book when I read it in high school. Occasionally I think I'll try to reread it but then think better of it. :)

Hi Dave, I was very happy to see you have set up a thread here for 2019. Looking forward to following along and taking a few 'hits' along the way!

Great set-up - I look forward to following along. I've still not read Lord of the Flies yet - I'll get to it eventually.

Classic SF&F – The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin



George Orr has a problem with his dreams. When he has what he terms an 'effective dream' it changes reality to match. What a cool ability to possess you might think? George's problem is that he has no control over what he dreams so he has tried all sorts of things to stop them from occurring. His current method is drugs but he's having to borrow other people's Pharmacy Card's so they're not all allocated to him and this leads to discovery and referral to a therapist as part of the Voluntary Therapeutic Treatment. Dr. William Haber, the psychiatrist Orr gets assigned to, soon realises that he can make use of this talent and improve the lot of mankind as well as helping himself along in the process. Unfortunately for Haber and the rest of the world, Orr doesn't always dream what Haber actually suggests and perceived results could have unforeseen consequences. Will the doctor find a way to get better results or perhaps even give his patient what he wants: to be cured of effective dreaming once and for all.

Touching on many of the big questions such as the nature of humanity and with social and political themes abounding even touching on environmental concerns and over-population which, for 1971 when this work was first published, is quite something. The story never meanders though and stays fixed within its main tenets which means it's a fairly quick read weighing in at under 200 pages. In lesser hands this story could get terribly confusing but I'm glad to say that wasn't the case here. It's a really enjoyable read and I'll certainly be looking for more of her work having only read some of the Earthsea stories previously. 4★'s

It has been decades since I have read any Ursula Le Guin. I need to put her in the list of classic sci fi authors who I must read/reread.

>31 AHS-Wolfy: I've been meaning to read that one for a while - thanks for the nudge. I remember seeing a movie based on this book broadcast on PBS way back when, which was excellent.

Today is my 13th Thingaversary. Having been out today and picked up a couple from the Waterstones sales bins I've placed an order to fulfill my obligations for the other 12 even though my tbr shelves are already bulging and overflow piles are starting to appear. Details as follows:

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (*)
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (?)
Miles Errant by Lois McMaster Bujold (*)
Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig (*)
He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond (****)
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (***)
The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher (**)
Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey (*)
The House of War and Witness by M. R. Carey (**)
The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman (***)
Rule 34 by Charles Stross (*)
The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell (*)
The Ghost Riders of Ordebec by Fred Vargas (*)
Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell (****)

Lots of next in series books (*), a couple by favourite authors (**), a couple recommended a while ago on LT that I've wanted to get to for ages (***), a couple that I've selected from Jack Taylor's reading list (****) and one I'm taking a chance with (?) but how bad can a Scooby-Doo pastiche be?

>34 AHS-Wolfy: Congratulations, Dave! Great haul.

Happy Thingaversary and enjoy the books.

Happy Thingaversary, Dave. I loved The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, probably my favorite of his that I've read so far - and that's saying something cause I love everything he writes!

Happy Anniversary and I hope you enjoy all your new books. Never mind the swaying piles.

Happy Thingaversary! I'm coming up on my 13th as well, which is kind of shocking to me!

Happy thingaversary and what a great haul!

Happy Thingaversary! I hope you like We; I read it for a dystopian fiction class in university and remember finding it interesting.

Belated happy Thingaversary - what a great haul. I've got the first two of Abercrombie's First Law series, I need to find out what else is in his back catalogue.

Thanks all. Still waiting on the arrival of one of the new additions but that's ok as it had the furthest to travel. In the meantime here's a review of a book actually read.

Impulse Buys and Recommends - Those Above by Daniel Polansky



Those Above have sat on the top most rung of the Roost and have ruled humanity for three thousand years. Squashing any hint of rebellion like a human would step on an ant. But down on the lowest, poverty stricken rung and out in the human cities there is once again dissatisfaction brewing about the mighty overlords. The story builds around four very different people from very different walks of life. Bas is a general in the Aelerian army currently engaged in pacifying and increasing the borders of this commonwealth nation and who also holds the distinction of being the only man to defeat one of Those Above in single combat. Twenty five years ago Eudokia lost her husband in the last human uprising and has been building her power base back in the Aelerian capital and is almost ready to finalise her plan that will offer up the opportunity for revenge on those responsible for her loss. Thistle is little more than a boy playing at being a man on the fifth rung of the Roost who leads his small crew of other youths in battles against others of his like from neighbouring districts before going on to join one of the Brotherhood's gangs that really run things at this level. Finally we also follow Calla who is a seneschal to The Aubade. Serving her master in anyway she can while living at his demesne, the Red Keep, up on the first rung.

As this is the first of a duology it is very much just half a story in setting up what is to come in the second. Don't expect too much in the way of revelations or resolutions from this one. The world building and character set-ups are excellent though and the story itself is never less than satisfying. There's not a huge amount of action as this is a tale based more around the political machinations and manoeuvrings of various pieces for what is hopefully a huge payoff to come. While not full-on grimdark it's certainly heading towards the gritty end of the fantasy spectrum so those looking for a lighter read should probably pick something else. Personally, I enjoyed part one of this story and don't think it will be too long before I pick up the continuation. 4★'s

Those Above is a BB for me. I do like fantasy with a dose of political machination :-)

Continuations - The Ghost Riders of Ordebec by Fred Vargas



A wealthy industrialist has been found dead inside the burnt out remains of his car and everyone seems intent on pinning the murder on a well-known arsonist known as Momo. Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg believes Momo's plea of innocence and after a particularly rash act sets out to prove it and find the guilty party. Meanwhile a woman from Ordebec has also accosted Adamsberg and insists she needs his help to prevent a catastrophe in her town located in Normandy. Her daughter has had a vision of the ghostly host of hunters known locally as Hellequin's Horde that contained three local men and a fourth unidentified person. Legend has it that those seen with the horde will end up dead as punishment for past crimes that remain unpunished. The first of these men is now missing and the gendarmes of the area won't lift a finger to investigate his disappearance. Can Adamsberg and his team of misfits get to the bottom of these two cases and find out who is actually responsible or will the Commissaire be riding off into the sunset if his superiors find out what he's done?

As with all the books in this series there is not much of the procedural about this story with Adamsberg and his team all employing their various quirks to help solve the cases. I've said before that it's the characters that make these books so enjoyable but the setting and the underlying elements of the mystery really enhance this one adding in an almost supernatural feel to proceedings. While the story meanders as much as Adamsberg thought processes it never wanders far enough for the reader to lose interest. Any author that can get you to care about the fate of a pigeon (aka a flying rat) must be doing something right. I'd also like to make a special note for another seamless translation by Sian Reynolds. A worthy co-winner* of the 2013 CWA International Dagger award. 4½★'s.

*along with another favourite French author of mine, Pierre Lemaitre for Alex

>45 AHS-Wolfy: - Great review and worried I may be adding another series to my ever growing to read list.

*nervously take a look to see how many books there currently are in the series*

Hum, 9 books in the series so far. That isn't too bad of a BB hit. ;-)

New in Sci-Fi & Fantasy - Those Below by Daniel Polansky



The concluding part of The Empty Throne duology continues with the same 4 voices guiding us through this dark fantasy tale of uprising and rebellion. Perhaps two years have passed since the ending of the first book, Those Above (see Msg43), and Eudokia's plans are in full swing. Currently residing in the uppermost reaches of the Roost, in part to present the tithe to the Others but also to answer for Aeleria's continued war efforts in Salucia and the amassing of the largest army the world has ever seen and for which Bas still plays a prominent part. Here she will get to match her wits against the Aubade, now Prime, and Calla, his seneschal, who would be more than happy for the status quo to remain. Meanwhile on the lower rungs of the Roost we find Pyre, formerly Thistle, as leader of the Dead Pigeons, a militant arm of the Five Fingers sect leading the rebellion against the rule of the Others.

While I mentioned that the first book wasn’t quite full-on grimdark, this one most assuredly is. With the rebellion heating up and the inevitability of war just around the corner there really isn’t much time for levity although there are some moments of humour, albeit of the darkened variety, dotted throughout the tale. The story moves along briskly and this is helped by the action set pieces but it's still very much a character driven narrative. All of the people involved have their own distinct voices so distinguishing between them isn’t difficult and with an excellent supporting cast this is a very good read. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the author's other work. 4½★'s.

Glad to see you back here, as I've enjoyed your reviews and gotten many BBs from them in the past!

I'm always on the lookout for new science fiction, so I'll definitely keep Daniel Polansky in mind.

Moore or Elmore - Hombre by Elmore Leonard



John Russell was raised as an Apache and is generally treated as such by the townsfolk near where he lives and works as a horse wrangler. He has a business matter to settle a few towns over and so joins the passengers on the last stagecoach due out before the station closes down. The passengers are an eclectic bunch consisting of the former clerk of the station who’s off to look for a job elsewhere, the Indian Agent from a nearby reservation along with his wife, a young girl recently rescued who just wants to get back home and a thug of a man who bullied his way into the final place for the trip. When the others find out who Russell is they don’t want him riding inside the coach with them but this is a decision they may come to regret when they are held up by a bunch of outlaws who leave them in the middle of nowhere without horses or much water. After the way they treated him will he help them or leave them to the mercy of the outlaws who are about to return to finish them off?

With themes of survival and prejudice this is a fairly simple tale of the old west where the rule of the gun was the only law. It’s the first of the author’s westerns that I’ve read being more familiar with his thrillers but this still retains the snappy dialogue and fast pace that is synonymous with his work. While there are some very good action sequences that’s not all there is to this book as we get to examine the characters and ethical decisions they make through the eyes of the clerk as our narrator for this tale. A quick and enjoyable read. 3½★'s.

^ That sounds interesting. I just added it to my very long Wishlist.

Someday I'll read Elmore Leonard's westerns... I've picked them up a couple of times from the library but run out of time to read them.

>49 AHS-Wolfy: As you know, I love Elmore Leonard's westerns, I hope to get to Last Stand At Saber River this year.

>50 Zozette: & >51 rabbitprincess: Enjoy if and when...

>52 DeltaQueen50: I'm definitely not averse to picking up more of that variety of his work. The only others I have on the tbr shelves are of the other kind though.

Continuations - Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey



The gates have been opened, probes sent through and thousands of worlds have been discovered just ready and waiting to be colonised. The Edward Israel is a colony ship under contract to Royal Charter Energy with a mandate to survey and explore what is being referred to as New Terra. But a ship that escaped the destruction of Ganymede has beaten them there and is in no mood to let the newcomers encroach on what they feel is already their territory and sets about trying to dissuade them from even landing. When violence results and deaths accrue those back home decide a mediator is required to broker a peace between the two sides and there’s only one man that fits the bill so far as impartiality goes and also with a reputation for not hiding things. Step forward James Holden and the rest of the crew of the Rocinante to see if they can work out a solution and maybe set the template for all future colonisation attempts. It’s not like he can make matters too much worse, right?

This fourth book in the Expanse series once again has multiple characters to follow as the story unfolds. As well as Holden we get three new voices this time around. Basia is one of the existing colonists, Elvi (an exobiologist) is on the first shuttle down from the new arrivals and Havelock who’s left in charge of security on the Edward Israel when the rest of the security team go planetside. With the exception of Holden these are probably my least favourite POV characters in the series so far and when teamed with the power-tripping villain of the piece it makes for a potential letdown from what has come before. So it’s fortunate that the setting and overall story makes this another fine entry in the sequence. The threat of the unknown from the alien technology and the mystery of what happened to them helps pull this story along nicely so even with weaker storytellers it doesn’t detract too much from the enjoyment value. There’s promise that we will return to more familiar people in the next book so I even have that to look forward to. 4★'s.

Impulse Buys and Recommends - Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry



Having just turned fifteen, Benny Imura needs a job. If he doesn't get one soon his ration allowance will get halved. So after multiple unsuccessful attempts (a good way to introduce the setting) he reluctantly accepts he might have to go into the family business and apprentice to his detestable older brother Tom. Benny's earliest memory is of Tom grabbing him and running leaving their mom to her fate after his dad had turned into a zombie. What a coward like Tom is now doing as a zombie killer seems inconceivable to Benny especially when compared to the other bounty hunters who he actually looks up to. After going out with his brother for the first time, Benny is forced to reassess everything he thought he knew, not just about his brother but the others and the very town where he lives. Maybe the real evil out in the Ruin aren’t the zombies after all.

Set firmly within the YA spectrum this book takes a whiny fifteen-year-old boy and crushes his naïve worldview with some hammer blows and sets him on his path to hero status with the help of those around him. After a slow start with the world-building the action heats up nicely and is quite gripping and the story is quite thought provoking in parts, particularly how zombies are perceived. While there’s no real surprises this is an entertaining read and provides a set up for the next book which I do intend to pick up at some point. 4★'s.

>55 AHS-Wolfy: I remember really enjoying Rot and Ruin when I read it a few years ago. I would recommend the first two books in this series as, in hindsight, I found after that the plots became fairly repetitive although there's always a hook at the end that makes you want to find out what happens next!

Moore or Elmore - Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore



Aspiring writer Tommy arrives in San Francisco to gain some life experience but needs a job to pay the rent. With help from the Emperor he is quickly set up as night manager at a Safeway and this is where he encounters Jody, a newly turned vampire. She’s going to need someone to do the daytime things that need doing seeing as sunlight has a deleterious effect on her complexion and Tommy seems an ideal candidate. Tommy’s never had a girlfriend before and the sex is great so he doesn’t even mind a bit of biting if that’s what she’s into. Problems start arising for the pair when bodies start turning up near to where they’re living that are drained of blood. Jody knows she hasn’t killed anyone yet so is the vampire who made her playing some sort of game with her?

This is a fun, light-hearted take on the vampire mythos. I already know I like the author’s style having enjoyed several of his books previously and this one proves no exception. It was also good to run into a couple of familiar characters who help fill out the cast in this one. It’s a quick, fast-paced read and while the story is self-contained it still leaves it open enough for a sequel. I liked the characters and story enough to want to spend more time with them (though not immediately) and it’s a good job as I already have the other 2 books in the trilogy sitting on the tbr shelves already. 3½★'s.

And now for something completely different - Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland



Liz Dunn is one of the lonely people. The only others she interacts with on a regular basis are work colleagues and her family consisting of her mother, her brother William and her sister Leslie. But that's all about to change when she gets a phone call from the hospital to say they've admitted a patient who had no identification other than a MedicAlert bracelet which had Liz down as the person to be contacted. Arriving at the hospital she finds a young man named Jeremy who turns out to be the son she gave up for adoption after giving birth to at the age of sixteen. Jeremy has primary progressive multiple sclerosis and as he isn’t taking care of himself his girlfriend has kicked him out. Liz agrees to let him stay with her so they can get to know each other better while there’s still time.

The novel switches back and forth between when Liz meets Jeremy and several years later with reminiscences from her past including finding a dead body and a school trip to Rome for Liz and her classmates. While it touches on some dark subjects such as loneliness and death the tone of the book never becomes bleak and is often imbued with touches of humour and even descends into farce at one point. Despite the constant time shifts this story is easy to follow and works really well in getting to know the main character. A very quick and enjoyable read. 4★'s.

>58 AHS-Wolfy: I really liked this and need to re-read it. Great review! :)

>58 AHS-Wolfy: I know the song, but I didn't know it was a book!

>58 AHS-Wolfy: Great review! It's on my list now.

>59 rabbitprincess: Thank you, hope your re-read is as enjoyable as the first time.

>60 thornton37814: It's the 3rd book of his that I've read and it's my favourite so far.

>61 VivienneR: Thank you, hope you enjoy it if/when you get to it.

Watching the Detectives - Rilke on Black by Ken Bruen



Nick is a bouncer in a London club and it’s while working that he meets Lisa who soon becomes a fixture in his life. Providing him with a steady stream of sex and drugs it’s not long before the latter has an effect on his employment when he is let go for not performing his duties properly. As Nick has become accustomed to always having some cash on hand he eventually succumbs to Lisa’s suggestion to get some quick money. Her proposition is to kidnap and ransom a local businessman who now owns a string of establishments similar to the one Nick was recently fired from. He also travels around without any bodyguards for protection so it should be a simple job. To accomplish the job they’ll need one more person so they enlist Nick’s neighbour and friend Dex to assist. When they proceed with the kidnapping each of the three does so for a very different reason. Can they work together to get what they want or will their differences impact their chances of success and will their poetry espousing victim be compliant enough to pull it off?

This is classic noir albeit set in London and written by an Irishman. It’s harsh and brutal (probably more so than his Jack Taylor books) with not much in the way of light relief. There’s a bit of sex and a lot of violence to accompany the snappy dialogue. It’s a short nove, weighing in at just 150 pages and a quick read. It is one of the author’s early novels and while not as accomplished as his later ones it definitely shows signs of promise to come. Not one I’d recommend as a starter for his work but for those looking for a quick Bruen fix without the entanglements a series brings then this might just fit the bill. 3½★'s.

Revisiting old friends



I've also finished a re-read of one of my favourite books by Christopher Brookmyre, One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night. I described it as Die Hard set on a converted oil rig via way of a school reunion and gave it a 5★ rating. This was one he wrote when there was still a comedic/farcical element to his capers that just resonates well with my sense of humour.

>63 AHS-Wolfy: THe Brookmyre a BB for me!

>64 Tess_W: I adore his books, even those where his style becomes more serious, so am glad when I see someone else tempted to pick one up. The only book of his that I've not read yet is the one recently released and co-authored with his wife under the pseudonym of Ambrose Parry.

Not really in a reviewing kind of mood over the last few days due to being busy with family health issues. Spending some time visiting someone in hospital as well as with my mum as she comes to terms with what’s happening. Her partner of 16 years had some difficulty breathing recently and after being fobbed off by local doctors he finally had a scan after the antibiotics they gave him did nothing to alleviate the problem. The scan showed a huge build up of fluid in a lung (over 3 litres was eventually drained in total) but revealed he also had cancer. Because of his age, he will not be able to undergo chemo or radiotherapy due to risks of liver and heart failure. He was discharged from the hospital last night as now the fluid is gone he might as well be more comfortable at home. There’s a meeting scheduled for those involved with his care to discuss how to proceed so that’s what we’re waiting for now.

So onto the book I finished at the end of last month.

Classic SF&F - To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer



Richard Francis Burton finds himself resurrected along with the rest of humanity in a strange alien place. Brought back in the prime of life he awakes on the banks of a mighty river. After settling nearby with a group of others, which include Alice Hargreaves, Burton gets the desire to go find the source of the river and explore some more to see if he can discover why they’ve been brought back.

I wasn’t really aware who the main character was prior to reading this book, which is the first of the Riverworld series, but that didn’t hinder as you learn of some of his previous exploits from other people. The story moves along at quite a fast pace but this detracts somewhat from the development of subsidiary characters with the reader only really getting to know Burton. I enjoyed the premise of the story and the examination of humanity but this book is very much of its time and allowances for that are needed. 3½★'s.

>66 AHS-Wolfy: So sorry to hear about your mum's partner. It will be a difficult time for both of them. My thoughts are with you.

>66 AHS-Wolfy: I'm sorry about your mum's partner. Hope the meeting to discuss his care goes as well as these things can.

>66 AHS-Wolfy: I'm sorry to hear about your mum's partner too. I hope that they get some clarity from the meeting, and are ok with the decisions made.

>66 AHS-Wolfy: - Very sorry to learn about the family health issues, Dave. That is hard and such sad news. Here is hoping that the meeting over his care goes/went well and a best path has been determined. My thoughts are with you and your family at this time.

So sorry to hear of your family troubles, Dave. My thoughts are with you.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and wishes. They are greatly appreciated.

Just to provide an update on the family health issues mentioned in >66 AHS-Wolfy:: They had the meeting today and confirmed that, as expected, there is basically nothing they can do to treat the cancer. It had already reached stage 4 and is still progressing. The only slight bit of positive news was that there have been no further complications from the fluid build-up which was drained so there's at least that and he's looking a damn sight better than when I went to see him in hospital. Just wish it could have been arranged for any other day than today with it being my mum's birthday.

So sorry to hear of all that is going on with your family. Glad you are able to be there for your mum and her partner. Take care of each other.

So sorry to hear about the family health issues. Take care.

>73 AHS-Wolfy: Sorry to learn that the update has only minor positive news (re: no further complications post fluid drain) but still very sad news. Will continue to keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Sorry for your family's health issues; please take care.

I'm sorry to see your family news Dave

Sorry to hear that you and your family are going through such tough times.

Once again, my thanks to everyone.

Watching the Detectives - Rule 34 by Charles Stross



Liz Kavanaugh is now heading up the Innovative Crime Investigation Unit (commonly referred to as the Rule 34 squad) that looks into offences that fall under the weird banner and often involve some sort of sexual deviancy. Punishment duty for the events related in Halting State. There’s been a suspicious death and the attending officer wants a 2nd opinion from a detective inspector so Liz gets the call. Turns out to be a little more than just suspicious though and pretty soon she’s handing the case over to CID as a homicide. When a couple of cases from other parts of the world get reported with similar circumstances though Liz is back on the investigation but she’ll be reporting to the jerk who got the job that was meant for her before her career hit the skids and neither of them are pleased with this outcome.

Told from multiple viewpoints using second person narrative but switches begin with a new chapter with heading for whose segment it is. There are three main characters but a few more do pop up as needed in order to follow the necessary storyline. While this is a self-contained story I’d not recommend reading without first picking up Halting State as there’s not a lot of explanation for the background tools being used by the police especially so you might not pick up on the technological aspects in play. Also this one isn’t quite as good as its predecessor and it’s hard to work out why. The setting is the same (near-future Edinburgh) and the plot is intriguing even if it does take a while to set up so I think it must be that the characters are a little lacking this time around. Still a decent enough read and I’m looking forward to sampling more from the author. 3½★'s.

Catching up on your thread and very sorry to hear about your mom's partner.

Unfortunately the end came much sooner than anyone anticipated. He passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Short term the family is hurting but in the long run it is better for all concerned that it's happened so suddenly as the only thing left in his future was pain. Most of the arrangements have now been made without too much emotional outbursts occurring that can cause family rifts so at least there's that. Just a final few things to sort tomorrow with the funeral being arranged for Monday week.

On the reading front I've managed to make a large dent in Gnomon from Nick Harkaway and hope to finish that in the coming days. Don't know when I'll be up to posting my thoughts on this one though but I've been devouring it in chunks when time has permitted and have been really drawn in to its world. It's a densely packed 700+ page tome but the ending is not too distant for me now and hoping it does the rest of the book justice.

>82 AHS-Wolfy: I'm so sorry that this happened so quickly. Thinking of you and your family.

Condolences to you and your family, Dave. As you say, quick is sometimes the best way since it meant saving him a lot of pain.

My condolences to you and your family on your loss.

I'm so sorry that you didn't have the time with him that you had hoped, but as you say he is not in pain now. Thinking of you all as you hurt and grieve for him.

So sorry to hear this; my condolences to you and your family.

My condolences, Dave. As you say, better to go with as little pain as possible.

My condolences also.

Joining the others in expressing condolences to you and your family, Dave. As you said, best it was quick if that saved him further pain and suffering.

What a lovely bunch of people you all are. Thank you so much. Managed to do my duty as pallbearer without dropping him and the funeral service was lovely with the celebrant doing a wonderful job in providing some laughter to go with the tears.

Time to move on in this thread now to happier things I think.

A little bit of serendipity today. I've had a gift card to the value of £15 since Christmas so thought I'd nip into that particular shop today and take a look and see what I could find. There was a selection of clearance books and I managed to pick 3 that are in series that I've already started or have the 1st book from already. Total value was exactly £15 and a saving from the RRP of £13. Here's what I grabbed:

Dog Will Have His Day by Fred Vargas
Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie
The Dark Defiles by Richard Morgan

Still have a couple of reviews to write up for books I've finished recently but they'll come when they come.

New in Sci-Fi & Fantasy - Gnomon by Nick Harkaway



In a near-future Britain surveillance is not only tolerated but embraced and as part of the System is embedded into a democratic process where everyone has a say. Diana Hunter was a woman who wanted to live life on her own terms and turned her house into a shielded environment where the System wasn’t welcome. For this reason she was brought in for interrogation as a suspected subversive. She died while under interrogation so her neural recordings of memories and thoughts are fed to Inspector Mielikki Neith to find out who Diana Hunter was and if her death was an accident or something more malicious.

Nick Harkaway’s releases have been getting better with each subsequent release and this one continues on that trend. Considering I liked his first book quite a bit then that’s an impressive feat. It’s a look at how technology fits into a modern political future that at some times doesn’t seem that distant. Throw in steganography, some Greek mythology and a great big shark and you end up with a monster of a book weighing in at almost 700 glorious pages. Yes it does get a bit twisty and rambles at times but for me it was entirely worth every one of them. Best book I’ve read in the last couple of years. 5★'s.

Watching the Detectives - The White Trilogy by Ken Bruen



This omnibus edition contains the first 3 books of the Inspector Brant series. It’s a world where the cops are probably just as bad if not worse than the criminals they are trying to catch. Detective Sergeant Brant is not averse to taking protection money from local shopkeepers and running up tabs he has no intention of ever paying off and these are just some of his good qualities. The first book, A White Arrest, sets the tone and introduces the cast of characters whom we get to spend just as much time with as DS Brant. There are two cases for them to tackle in this one: Someone’s threatened to kill the England cricket team and is only taken seriously when the first body turns up. The second involves a vigilante group who are knocking off some other small-time crooks but in ways that compete for headline space with the other killer. Taming the Alien and The McDead follow along in similar vein offering up casual violence and brutality in almost every page.

The author’s short, punchy dialogue keeps the pace and readability high and will be familiar in style to those who’ve read Bruen’s other more celebrated series featuring Jack Taylor. I would say that these fit in with the more traditional noir genre and the author himself comments that he wanted to try something along the lines of Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct sequence of books but when he asked Scotland Yard for assistance in researching and they refused then these books were the result. I like the author’s style so while these books don’t quite hit the heights of the others I will still at some point continue with this series. 3½★'s.

>92 AHS-Wolfy: True story: I bought Gnomon for my brother expressly so that I could borrow it when he finished. Although I might end up reading it before he does :D

I have the White Trilogy on my Kindle - another series that I need to start!

Continuations - The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie



The Union have decided it’s time to secure and expand their northern border and have sent a rather large army to do just that. Black Dow, leader of the Northmen has other ideas and after retreating from initial skirmishes decides it’s time to make a stand around The Heroes, a massive ring of stones dominating a hilltop that offers a commanding view of the surrounding valley. With different viewpoints from among the combatants on both sides, from commanding officers right down to the grunts on the front line, the narrative offers up heroism, cowardice, bravery and stupidity in about equal measure.

This gritty story charts the progress of the battles and immediate aftermath over a 4-day period. It displays the futility of war that you don’t often get in a fantasy novel with participants forgetting what it is that they’re fighting for and only hoping to survive the next encounter. It’s not all harsh and bleak though as there are some moments of real humour thrown in at just the right times and there are plenty of wonderful characters to spend these four days with. While this is part of a loose series of books attached to his earlier trilogy it’s not necessary to have read those prior to this one as it can be read as a stand-alone book if desired. 4★'s.

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss, Dave.

>96 AHS-Wolfy: I'm glad to hear that you're continuing to enjoy this series. I finally got around to reading The Blade Itself last year, partly on your recommendation, and I loved it. I plan to continue the series, once I get through the current pile of books.

>96 AHS-Wolfy: I have loved everything this author does, but Heroes has a special place in my heart. I have been hoarding Red Country as it's the last unread book of his that I have but I hear he is about to release a new one this fall called 'A Little Hatred' - can't wait!

Eek, I have the first two of The First Law series, I hadn't realised I was 4 behind in the series! Must get back to these.

>97 mathgirl40: Thank you, Paulina

>98 DeltaQueen50: A Little Hatred (no touchstone yet) is supposed to be the first in a proper First Law trilogy as opposed to this loose collection of related stories. I believe Red Country has more of a western feel to it so I'm looking forward to seeing his take on that.

>99 SouthernKiwi: There's also a short story collection, Sharp Ends, set in the same world as well. The first in a new trilogy as mentioned in the reply above to Judy is released in September with the subsequent books scheduled annually. You should get reading! :)

How did I miss that you'd jumped in on the category challenge again this year? Dropping a star - looks like I have some catching up on what you've been up to!

I have Heroes on the shelf - I really liked The blade itself but the others in the series not so much - but was recommended this one.

I also have Gnomon to get to. Claire read it and loved it but it's such a chunkster I've been putting it off...

Sounds as if I should read Daniel Polansky too.

Adding my condolences too - sad news

>101 psutto: Thanks Pete, at least you found me now so better late than never ;)

Gnomon reads quicker than it looks and only took me some time due to the other things that were happening that didn't allow for much reding to get done.

Polansky first came to my attetnion with some good buzz being generated for his Low Town series but never got around to picking those up (so far!). Managed to snag this duology from The Works to see if he lived up to the hype. Happy to report that he did.

>102 AHS-Wolfy: - I think I'll get to Gnomon in the summer then

New in Sci-Fi & Fantasy - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch



While returning home from a celebratory drink with an old student who has been awarded a prestigious science award, Jason Dessen is abducted and forced at gunpoint to drive to an abandoned warehouse by a masked assailant. Fearing the worst he is injected with a mystery substance and is surprised when he wakes up on a gurney surrounded by strange people he’s never met before but who all seem to know him. It soon becomes apparent that he has awoken in an alternate version of his world where instead of marrying his pregnant girlfriend and starting a family he chose to continue his scientific research instead. All he wants now is to return to the family he’s lost.

This is a very readable and exciting thriller of the “what if…?” variety. Using quantum theory to gain access to a multiverse of your life where each choice you make creates a different version of you. What would you do if you have the chance to live a life that you could have had? The scientific principles are handled in a very accessible way and the story is driven on ramping the tension up as it goes until the final climactic scenes. Some decent action scenes also help to keep the pace at a speedy clip and you can tell that this as written with a movie adaptation in mind. But don’t let that put you off as it’s still a pretty good read. 4★'s.

Book Watch - Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley



Nick Naylor works as a lobbyist in Washington for The Academy of Tobacco Studies in the late 1990’s where legislation is making his job so much harder. Adding to his woes is his new boss who doesn’t like him and wants to install his girlfriend in Nick’s position. Knowing he’s fighting a losing battle, Nick decides to go down fighting and takes some swipes at the other guests lined up against him on the Oprah show. This earns him some rare good press and also the admiration of the head of the industry that decides to take him under his wing. It also earns him some death threats to go along with the regular hate mail he usually receives. Surely they can’t be serious?

This is a black comedy and satirical look at the lobbyist industry of American politics that makes a sympathetic character out of somebody who shouldn’t really be one. Even though he’s basically pedalling death the reader really wants him to succeed and genuinely roots for him during his travails. There are some great bits of humour to be had during this read while having a go at the big industry, the whole political lobbyist movement and the press corps too. I have yet to see the movie that’s based on this book so can’t compare but I’m not averse to finding out at some point in the future. 4★'s

>105 AHS-Wolfy: - I have not read the book, but did enjoy the movie adaptation. Wonderful review!

>105 AHS-Wolfy: This looks like a book bullet for me, nice reveiw.

>105 AHS-Wolfy: Great review. On my wish list it goes!

Book Watch - Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1 by John Vornholt, Arthur Byron Cover & Alice Henderson



A collection of three stories et in the early timeline centred on Buffy and the Scoobies as they once more battle the forces of evil in their own inimitable way. The first of these was Coyote Moon which sees a carnival arrive in town staffed with suspiciously attractive young men and women with the exception of one grizzled old veteran. Coincidentally at around the same time a pack of coyote’s are hunting and killing pets in the surrounding local area. With both Willow and Xander being caught up with the carnies, Buffy decides some investigation is in order. A poor story with bad characterisation and if I never see the word werecrocodiles again it’ll still be too soon.

Night of the Living Rerun takes us back to the time of the Salem witch trials with Buffy, Giles and Xander all experiencing vivid dreams from various participants points of view. When three famous people with connections to the spirit world happen to converge on Sunnydale then there must be something amiss. Can Buffy and the gang find out what it is in time to prevent the Master from rising once again? Another story I was fairly indifferent to especially when the zombies appeared to turn it into a kind of Night of the Living Dead pastiche.

It’s a good job that the first two stories were short enough to plough through with enough energy to move on to the third which proved to be the most enjoyable of the three. Portal Through Time sees another attempt to prevent the Master’s demise at the hands of Buffy when Lucien, a vampire magician, finds a way to travel back in time. When initial plans to kill Buffy before she becomes the Slayer fail (twice) he is advised to prevent Buffy from ever becoming a Slayer by killing previous Slayers to alter the timeline so that she was never activated. Buffy and the gang have to follow Lucien through time and prevent his nefarious plans. First stop is off to see the Welsh Druids in 60 C.E. and then on to ancient Sumeria and get to meet Gilgamesh before a dangerous encounter during the American Civil War and finally to Paris during the French Revolution where Darla and Angelus happen to be while cutting a bloody swathe through Europe of their own. This entry probably recreates the characters, hi-jinks and pop culture references of the source material better than the other two so makes the book readable as a whole but doesn’t qualify it for greatness. 3★'s

And now for something completely different - Richer Than God: Manchester City, Modern Football and Growing Up by David Conn



Not only is this the story of the 2008 takeover of Manchester City FC by one of the richest men in the world but it also examines the wider implication of football’s change from what was regarded as the people’s game to that of a global business machine. All seen through the eyes of a long-time City fan turned investigative reporter who worked for some of this country’s biggest newspapers. It’s a very personal journey from choosing his team at the age of seven to finding out a few truths of how football in England was allowed to change from a game for the masses to a cash cow for a select few (City’s former owner, Thaksin “Frank” Shinawatra, making £90m in just one year of ownership for example). Various snippets of interviews pepper the history of the club but it’s not told in a linear way and this detracts the feel of the narrative slightly for me. There will be times when the author goes over the same ground in order to illustrate the current point he’s trying to make and I don’t think I needed to be told that Carlos Tevez (a star player of the time) earned £200k a week more than 3 times during this read. Overall this was an interesting look at how football has changed throughout the years but I was hoping for a little more detail on the takeover period itself so felt a little disappointed. 3½★'s

Book Watch - All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka



Keiji Kiriya is a raw recruit in the Japanese arm of the United Defence Force battling against the alien invasion and we join him on the eve of his first battle and stay with him until his death. Along the way he meets Rita Vrataski, aka Full Metal Bitch, most famous warrior on Earth but even she can’t save him as she’s only hanging around to recover his mech suit battery. Unlike most of the raw recruits who die in their opening encounter, Keiji’s death triggers a time-loop and he once again awakens on the eve of the fight. When it happens again he discounts his initial dream theory and sets about trying to learn what he can about what’s happening to him. Can Keiji break the loop and what’s Rita’s involvement in all of this?

The author acknowledges the inspiration of playing video games lies deeply at the core of this short military sci-fi novel. The main protagonist (Keiji) or player learns to get better in either of two main ways. Either by figuring out how the enemy react on each successive run through from his own experiences up to his death or by watching another player (Rita) who’s already mastered some of the techniques needed to survive and get to the next level. The development of the main character is handled well as is the timing for the interjection of Rita’s back-story. For those who’ve seen the movie Edge of Tomorrow that are wondering if it’s worth picking up the book then I would say there’s enough differences between the two, especially the ending, to justify giving it a go. Maybe just don’t read/watch them back-to back. 4★'s

Gnomon sounds awesome and I'll take a book bullet for All You Need is Kill also.

Getting a bit behind on my reviews. Finished 3 (nearly 4) since my last update. Here's the first of them to get me going.

Revisiting old friends - Battle Royale by Koushun Takami



The Republic of Greater East Asia was falling apart. Its youth were a disaffected lot and were often displaying such traits in increasingly violent ways. The government decided to act and passed the Program where 50 third-year junior high school classes are forced to fight their classmates until only 1 participant remains left alive. This story follows one such class of 42 students as they are abducted from their intended school trip and awaken in a strange classroom and discover their new circumstances. Stranded on a deserted island each person is equipped with a pack containing food, water, a map and an item classed as a weapon (anything from a machine gun to a fork) and sent on their way at 2 minute intervals. Will they participate? Can they trust anyone to make allegiances with and if they do there is the ever present threat of betrayal with only one person able to claim victory.

This is a brutal tale in both the psychological and violent sense that the reader, for the most part, follows in the company of Shuya, one of the students. It’s not all violence and gore though as you do also get snippets of back-stories of some of the more prominent students to better understand their character traits. This helps keeping the who’s who straight, with so many of them running about initially, and adds to the feels when the inevitable death ensues. There are also moments of really black humour on show too (the lighthouse anyone?) which while not lightening the mood certainly add to the readability of the story. Even though it was never in the running for any of the great prizes for literature it certainly is that, as long as you don’t mind a bit of blood spatter that is. 4★'s

Since finishing the book I’ve also rewatched the movie for the sake of comparison. While there are a few differences the two are pretty much the same with only the ending having any real dramatic change. The film is definitely more OTT than the book but the characters lack the depth that you can gain from the written version. So if you’re interested in experiencing either then I’d recommend if you want the action then check out the movie but if you want more story to go with it then the book is the way to go. I guess I’ll need to find the manga now and do this all again sometime.

Not sure when the remaining reviews will finally appear as I'm back on hospital watch again. Spent 18 hours at my sister's bedside over last couple of days but taking today off as there's plenty of other family members around to keep her company and it's not too far to go if there's a need to rush back.

>115 AHS-Wolfy: I'm sorry to hear your sister is in hospital. Thinking of you and her and hope she is on the mend soon.

>115 AHS-Wolfy: Hope your sister recovers quickly.

>116 rabbitprincess: & >117 Tess_W: Thank you both for your kind thoughts but unfortunately that isn't going to happen. She was diagnosed with throat cancer back at the end of November and despite going through radio- and chemotherapy treatments it spread upwards. A planned operation to remove the infected areas with following reconstructive surgery was proposed but couldn't be progressed as she wouldn't have survived. Latest setback was a case of pneumonia and that's why she is currently in hospital. Last couple of days they've been reducing the oxygen intake though and are now talking about moving her to a hospice. If it makes her more comfortable then we're all for it even if it does make it harder for me to go see her.

>118 AHS-Wolfy: So sorry to hear that, wolfy. I just said a prayer for her peace and comfort.

>119 Tess_W: Oh no! I'm so sorry that your family has had to go through so much this year. Take care of yourself too.

>118 AHS-Wolfy: What an awful year you and your family are having. Like Tess, I've just said a prayer for her, and hope that she can be made comfortable soon. Take care.

So sorry to hear this!

Dave, so sorry that your family is going through another difficult time, my thoughts are with you.

I have had Battle Royale on my shelf for quite some time and really need to give it a go.

Just to post a quick update that we lost her Saturday morning as she passed fairly peacefully in the early hours. Thank you all for your concern.

So sorry for your loss, but glad the passing was peaceful.

>124 AHS-Wolfy: I'm so sorry for your loss, Dave.

I'm so sorry to hear the sad news of of your sister's passing, Dave. My thoughts are with you.

I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

Very sorry to hear of your sister's passing. Thinking of you and your family.

I am so very sorry to read about your sister, Dave. Joining with others in keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers while you face this further loss.

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. Managed to get another of those reviews done:

New in Sci-Fi & Fantasy - Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch



Book 7 of the Rivers of London series finally sees a resolution to a long running saga that has been ongoing since book 1. A huge police operation is put together so we get to meet all the regular characters and by the end of it even Molly gets a new friend. This series is still very much part police procedural as well as the magical elements being thrown around and that is even more highlighted with the Folly serving as a proper “nick” this go around and also with Peter now a Detective Constable. The reader also gets a bit more London/British history thrown in for good measure. My copy of the book also included a short story where Abigail takes centre stage as she investigates a school friend’s mysterious uncle who seems to have been around for over a hundred years.

I always enjoy spending time with Peter and the rest of the ensemble and this one proved no different. Although it might provide a conclusion to a main story arc it didn’t feel like an ending to the series and I’m happy to see another book exists on the series page already. There are definitely enough elements ongoing in both Peter’s personal and professional life to keep things interesting in future instalments. Even with all the weird stuff going on, I still like how these books stay very much rooted in a recognisable world and all the problems this brings with it. 4★'s

Deepest condolences Dave - never easy to lose a family member, take best care!

So sorry to read of your loss Dave, what a difficult year for your family so far.

Continuations - In the Galway Silence by Ken Bruen



For once in his life Jack Taylor is, if not actually happy, then at least content with his current lot. There’s a new woman in his life and other than her spoilt nine-year-old son which he would be happier not getting involved with, things are going pretty well. His alcohol, drugs and cigarette intake are way down and he’s even pretty much given up helping other people out with their problems. Until that is when a grieving father asks him to find out who killed his twin sons. Thinking vague inquiries couldn’t hurt, Jack disregards his reluctance and goes back to what he does best. Not long after he’s busy getting up in people’s faces he meets an old acquaintance. It seems his ex-wife is in town and she has a little surprise in tow.

I was less emotionally engaged with the characters and events in this 14th book of the series probably because they’ve only just appeared. So when the inevitable bad things happen to those who’ve become entangled in Jack’s life I didn’t really care as much as I usually would. However, all the usual elements were there from Bruen’s inimitable writing style and the sarcasm and black humour of the main character to the pop-culture references and political messages of the day. So all-in-all, it’s not a bad book, just not the best of the Jack Taylor series so far as I’m concerned. 3½★'s

>134 AHS-Wolfy: As you mentioned in my thread, I've a way to go before I reach this one! For the life of me I can't imagine Taylor being in a responsible position for a nine-year-old. :)

Past time to catch this thread up with what I've been reading. Here's June's entries:

Book Watch - The Road by Cormac McCarthy



Father and son travel across a post-apocalyptic wasteland of what remains of America. Although the older man tries to imbue a sense of hope into the younger it’s still a very bleak tale and I’m glad I was in the right frame of mind to be able to appreciate this work. The overall feel reminded me a little of Grave of the Fireflies (an anime movie). 4★'s

Classic SF&F - Pirates of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs



First book in a pulp science fiction adventure series very similar to the more popular Mars/Barsoom books by the same author. Substitute Carson Napier for John Carter and Duare for Dejah Thoris and you wouldn’t be too far from the same plot. Enjoyable enough for some quick mindless escapism but pretty forgettable overall. 3★'s

Impulse buys and recommends - Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong



A purpose built city for fun and entertainment in the near future gets thrown into turmoil with the death in an explosion of one of its founders. Into this chaos is dragged Zoey, biological but estranged daughter to the recently departed, as she is apparently the key to a vault he left behind. The folks in fancy suits who worked for Zoey’s father want her to open the vault and promise protection from another faction that don’t. Zoey travels from her trailer park home to the city where almost anything goes not knowing who she can trust and finds her life becoming one big movie with everyone live streams her every move. Can she even make it to the vault alive and what will she find inside if she does?

This is a fast-paced action thriller with plenty of humour to help keep the pages flying by. While his previous two books have been more horror based this is definitely more firmly in the science fiction genre. While the main story looks at mechanical implants to turn people into living weapons in the background there is the ever-present look at what social media could be heading towards. While the characters are fairly two-dimensional and the action frequently over-the-top it is still very much an enjoyable romp and I would certainly read another book set in this universe if the author writes one. 4★'s

Continuations - Brief Cases by Jim Butcher



The 2nd collection of short stories set in the Dresden Files universe of which only one hasn’t previously appeared elsewhere in other anthologies. There’s a slight departure from he norm as instead of the usual Harry Dresden perspective throughout we get some other viewpoints on a few of the tales with Anastasia Luccio, Molly (twice), John Marcone & Waldo Butters all featured and the final tale has 3 (Harry, Maggie & Mouse). All of the stories get a brief introduction for the setting and how/why it came to be created and where it fits in with the main Dresden series (if it matters). Most of them are set between the latter books of the series so if you’re not up to date then some of the references may not ring a bell but I think only one or two have any real spoilers if you’re not, featuring Molly & Butters’ first experiences of their new roles.

I’ve never been a huge fan of short stories but this was a nice diversion while we wait for the next full instalment in the series. They do actually help fill in a few gaps and provide some new perspectives. Just a shame there’s no Murphy or Thomas along for any of these except for a brief cameo for the latter but I guess we can’t have everything. While there’s nothing exceptional here it’s still a good companion piece to the series and I will be happy to include it when I do my next re-read of the series. 4★'s

The Road is an excellent book but so depressing that I could never bring myself to read it again.

Watching the Detectives - Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey



Fran Watts has still not recovered from a brutal attack and kidnapping by a man nicknamed the Shadowman. Even after 10 years she was still on medication, seeing a psychiatrist, getting nightmares and still seeing things that can’t be there. While at the psychiatrist’s she sees something strange in the waiting room. Liz Kendall, the mother of one of Fran’s classmates, is there but it seems like there’s two of her that are slightly out of sync with each other and this is what her attacker, Bruno Picota, claimed about Fran when he was caught. Can Fran help in any way or should she not even get involved?

While Fellside was wildly different to The Girl with all the Gifts this one certainly has undertones of the former. So much so, that if you liked that one then you will more than likely feel at home with this one too. It uses an interesting approach to asking questions of identity and the age-old “what if…“ scenario. The story itself does hit upon some very touchy subjects such as mental illness, domestic abuse and does get quite violent on occasion so if these are trigger points for you then please be warned. Another solid effort from Mr. Carey. 3½★'s

>139 AHS-Wolfy: This one is definitely going on my wishlist. I really loved both The Girl With all the Gifts and Fellside.

>139 AHS-Wolfy: - I have this on my shelf looking at me right now. I need to get to it!

I'm also very tempted to get this: https://www.pspublishing.co.uk/the-complete-short-stories-of-mike-carey-trade-pa...

I've been very fortunate to meet Mike and he's a lovely bloke. He blurbed my first book, A Tiding of Magpies too!

>140 DeltaQueen50: Pretty sure you'll like this one as I think you rated Fellside a touch higher than I did too.

>141 psutto: That must be the first time I've beaten you to a Carey book. Shows how much you've been slacking off ;)

>142 AHS-Wolfy: - I am such a slacker ;-)

Talking of slacking off, it's been a while since I've updated my thread. Time for a catch-up post (or two).

Continuations - Miles Errant by Lois McMaster Bujold



The fourth omnibus of the series contains 3 stories: The Borders of Infinity, Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance. These all deal in varying ways with Miles discovering and learning to deal with a new family member. As always, it’s fun spending time with Miles and his acquaintances as well as getting to know the new ones. 4½★'s

Moore or Elmore - You Suck by Christopher Moore



Continuing the mis-adventures of Tommy & Jody as they come to terms of their vampire lifestyle. A quick, easy and fun read with wonderful characters. 4★'s

Revisiting old friends - Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig



A re-read of a dark and brutal urban fantasy to refresh the details in preparation for reading the sequel. 4★'s

Continuations - Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig



Continues the story of Miriam Black from a year after the events of Blackbirds. A year in which she has spent trying to live a normal life with Louis but decides it’s time to get back to doing what she does best. Louis gets her a job at a school that hides a dark secret. Will Miriam get involved in trying to prevent a murder or two knowing the price that is demanded?

Miriam is her usual foul-mouthed and belligerent self and hasn’t changed despite her self-imposed year in exile living at a trailer park. The dark and brutal nature of the first book is also present here and hasn’t been toned down in the slightest. Sitting very much in the horror end of the urban fantasy spectrum with violence, gore and murder very much on the menu. This sequel does manage to progress the story of Miriam Black and prove she’s not just a one trick pony but you do lose some of the originality of reading the first book. Still plenty good enough for me to want more of the series though. 4★'s

Revisiting old friends - The Cardinal’s Blades by Pierre Pevel



Another re-read in preparation for a sequel. This one goes back to the time of Cardinal Richelieu and the Musketeers but adds in a fantastical element of magic with dragons disguised as men and secret societies intent on casting the world into chaos. The Cardinal must once again turn to a small elite group known as the Cardinal’s Blades to prevent the latest attempt by the Black Claw and protect the Crown. 3½★'s

Continuations - The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel



More swashbuckling adventures with France once again under threat from the Black Claw this time in the shape of the dangerous and renowned alchemist in the shadows. Cardinal Richelieu calls on La Fargue and his blades to counter this threat in whatever form it may take. How far can they trust La Donna, a spy who plays anyone against everyone, and what does she hope to gain from this encounter in which she is providing information for her immediate safety.

A little less action than its predecessor with the plot being more political in nature and the world becoming more fleshed out as are the backgrounds of the characters. The author weaves a tangled web and you’re never quite sure how the threads will all come together as the story progresses. The twist at the end of book 1 still hasn’t been fully played out here so I guess I’ll have to read the final instalment of the trilogy to find out where the author takes it. 3½★'s

Watching the Detectives - Dog Will Have His Day by Fred Vargas



Having been relieved of his investigative duties in the Ministry of Justice, Louis Kehlweiler thought he’d keep his hand in by continuing to keep track of things that seem a little off or out of place. Assisting him in keeping his records up to date is Marc Vandoosler, one of those know as the three evangelists. So when Louis finds the bone from a human toe deposited near a park bench by a dog, Louis enlists Marc’s help in identifying the animal in question as he suspects foul play. Their initial investigations lead them to Port-Nicolas, a small seaside village in Brittany, where Louis tries to unmask a potential murderer and the reason why.

As with all Fred Vargas books, it’s the characters that really make the story and this one proves no exception. Although this is classed as a Three Evangelists novel, only two of them are featured to any degree and neither is the central lead. But Louis is another fascinating oddball with his very own peculiarities. The mystery is the device in which we get to explore these characters and is more than adequate for the task. There’s also quite a bit of humour to keep the tone light and to keep the pace of the story move along. As always, Sian Reynolds does a great job with the translation. 3½★'s

>144 AHS-Wolfy: Glad you liked Miles Errant. Mirror Dance is one of my favourites from the Vorkosigan series.

>145 AHS-Wolfy: I've not read any books by Fred Vargas, but I definitely should keep this series in mind for my "Mysteries Around the World" category.

>146 mathgirl40: Re: Fred Vargas, this is her secondary series and while it does have some minor ties into her primary one I'd say the Adamsberg ones are better. Starts with The Chalk Circle Man.

>147 AHS-Wolfy: OK, that's good to know. Thanks!

The Cormorant by Chuck Wendig



As she usually does, Miriam Black has annoyed just about everyone around and has been kicked out of the place she’s been staying. Just as she’s leaving though one of the guys gives her a lead to earn some money from what she does best. Someone in Florida is willing to pay her $5,000 to tell him how he dies. Of course it’s not going to be as simple as a quick road trip, a vision and letting him know. Not when Miriam’s involved anyway. When she gets there and does the deed, so to speak, she sees a message written just for her. It seems she was expected. Can she find out who by and what it means for her future or maybe lack thereof?

The format for this book returns to that of the first of the series where the narrative is interchanged with an ongoing interview for Miriam with a couple of FBI agents. The dark humour, vulgarity, violence and gore that are also trademarks of these books also return in bucket loads so definitely not for the squeamish. If you have a liking for seabirds then the final confrontation might make you rethink that. It’s also good to see more progression with Miriam’s story and will be interesting to see where the author takes things from here. 4★'s

Been neglecting this for far too long. Here's a quick catch-up for the last few months reading.

The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell (19/09/19)
Continuation of the Shadow Police urban fantasy series. Very dark. Not totally sold on the inclusion of Neil Gaiman (even if it does make sense for it to be him). 4★'s

The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany (30/09/19)
Just too flowery for my taste. 2½★'s

Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw (10/10/19)
The mis-adventures of an NPC from a MMORPG. Fun at times but too long overall 3★'s

Flashman by George Macdonald Fraser (19/10/19)
A Victorian satire showcasing everything that was wrong with those times. If you can’t stand a misogynistic, cowardly, self-serving cad as a protagonist then best to avoid. There is however, quite a bit of fun to be had here as Flashman begins his military career in the first Anglo-Afghan War. 3½★'s

Permanent Record by Edward Snowden (23/10/19)
Not much new material if you’ve seen either the documentary (CitizenFour) by Laura Poitras or the Oliver Stone biopic (Snowden). It’s good to get the story in his own words though. 4★'s

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (29/10/19)
A re-read for me and most of the comments from my previous review still stand. 4★'s

Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book One by Alan Moore (01/11/19)
Starts by tying up the loose ends from Len Wein’s earlier books and quickly re-invents the character which has gone on to be recognised as the definitive version. Great artwork combined with good storytelling to provide a very good horor comic book. 4★'s

Autonomous by Annalee Newitz (08/11/19)
As a lot of good science fiction does this book uses future possibilities to examine elements of today’s world. Capitalism, artificial intelligence, gender and intellectual property rights all take centre stage at some point. Not totally sold with the ending but a new to me author that I’ll be keeping a future eye out for. 4★'s

Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King (01/12/19)
Been slowly working my way through The Dark Tower series and finally reached book 5. Guess this was King’s homage to Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven as the companions seek to protect a village from marauders. 4★'s

The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard (09/12/19)
Johannes Cabal, necromancer, is reunited with his vampire brother Horst and they team up to once again save the world. More enjoyable for me than the previous entry of the series and I look forward to picking up the final volume at some point in the near future. 4★'s

A Climate of Fear by Fred Vargas (15/12/19)
The eighth instalment of the Adamsberg books sees the crew become involved in the French Revolution when several murders are linked to a secretive society studying the period centring around Robespierre. An Icelandic expedition crops up to throw a spanner in the works. Always enjoyable to spend time with Jean-Baptiste and his team. 4★'s

Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? by Paul Cornell (23/12/19)
Continuing the dark urban fantasy series about a small team of London policemen battling the supernatural. What does it take to kill a ghost and is Sherlock really dead? Can the team decipher what’s really happened from the plethora of clues left behind and prevent more Sherlockian deaths as well as overcome their own personal tribulations? Doesn’t tie up all the loose ends of the series but I can understand when an author needs a change. Hopefully he’ll come back to it at some point. 4★'s

Merry Christmas, Dave.

Glad to see lots of four stars in your recent reading! I'm reading L'armee furieuse next year, so I'll be all set to read Temps glaciaires right after it. It sounds fascinating!

Good to see some love for Howard's Cabal series :-) I hear rumours he's putting together all the short stories in one volume too!

Hope you had a good Xmas & Happy New Year!

Time to finish things off for this thread with the final two reads of the year.

Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer

A good YA story where a young orphaned girl disguises herself as a boy to get hired as a ship's boy on board HMS Dolphin which is off to hunt pirates. How long can she maintain her disguise? Nautical adventures, derring-do and a bit of romance ensue to create a fun tale and I wouldn't be averse to picking up the next in the series. 3½★'s

Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard

Second in the Raylan Givens books which inspired the Justified TV series (which I haven't yet seen). US Marshal unofficially investigates the disappearance of his girlfriend's former love. Oddball characters with the trademark snappy dialogue and occasional fun interludes make this a decent enough read. 3½★'s

Year end stats and summary:

Total books read: 52

Primary Tag:
Science Fiction 17
Crime/Thriller 8
Urban Fantasy 8
Fantasy 7
Horror 3
Non-Fiction 2
Historical Fiction 2
Graphic Novel 1
Western 1
Classic 1
General Fiction 1
Humour 1

Original Language:
English 45
French 5
Japanese 2

Author Gender:
Male 46
Female 5
Other 1

Ratings:
5★'s 2
4½★'s 3
4★'s 26
3½★'s 15
3★'s 5
2½★'s 1

Least favourite book of the year
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany – Not a bad book, just didn’t suit my taste.

Favourite book of the year
Gnomon by Nick Harkaway – Stunningly good.

Happy New Year Dave

>150 AHS-Wolfy: Nice to see the positive review for Autonomous, as I'd recently bought this on the recommendation of a friend. Happy New Year!