Jack Glass is, as it is subtitled, the story of a murderer. In fact, it consists of 3 locked room mysteries, all of which are as much howdunnits, and whydunnits as whodunnits. The first takes place on a penal asteroid, where prisoners are dumped for 5 years by the Gongsi to hollow it out - thus producing new living space for the Gongsi to sell. The second is a country house murder, complete with the future equivalent of Bright Young Things, and extremely loyal servants. The final mystery involves the death of a policeman and a missing bullet.
I suffered a little mental whiplash going from the first mystery, featuring as it did a penal asteroid with all the grim violence that entails, to the world of Diana Argent, a spoiled rich girl. Which of course, was part of the point - the juxtaposition of the treatment of the lower class criminals with the lifestyle of the elite rich. There is a giant gap between the rich and the vast majority of people living in the solar system - robots are considered as too costly to utilise compared to human labour, for example, as there are trillions living in little better than orbital shanty-towns. The "lucky ones" who become servants to the elite are kept drugged to ensure their loyalty. Which, helps achieve the "Golden Age" country house murder feel about the second mystery - the set-up constructed here is very similar to the ones found in a lot of 1920s and 30s detective stories. (Which I have read too many of.)
Initially, I didn't take to Diana - partly because of her teenager-ness, but mostly as she seemed a little too Bright Young Thing-ish, but slightly off. Similar to the way that a number of modern attempts at writing books set in the 1920s often feel slightly wrong. But I found that she was less annoying as the story went on, partly because she loses a little of the limelight, and also is a little out of her depth. Jack Glass, was more of a cipher, and I'm not sure whether I ever fully got to know him properly.
I found Jack Glass entertaining - and amusing at times, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. (I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting, to be honest - possibly a little more detective story like?). I really like the cover though.
Why I picked it up: The premise (Golden Age detection meets science fiction) intrigued me, and it was on the shortlist for the Kitschies.
I suffered a little mental whiplash going from the first mystery, featuring as it did a penal asteroid with all the grim violence that entails, to the world of Diana Argent, a spoiled rich girl. Which of course, was part of the point - the juxtaposition of the treatment of the lower class criminals with the lifestyle of the elite rich. There is a giant gap between the rich and the vast majority of people living in the solar system - robots are considered as too costly to utilise compared to human labour, for example, as there are trillions living in little better than orbital shanty-towns. The "lucky ones" who become servants to the elite are kept drugged to ensure their loyalty. Which, helps achieve the "Golden Age" country house murder feel about the second mystery - the set-up constructed here is very similar to the ones found in a lot of 1920s and 30s detective stories. (Which I have read too many of.)
Initially, I didn't take to Diana - partly because of her teenager-ness, but mostly as she seemed a little too Bright Young Thing-ish, but slightly off. Similar to the way that a number of modern attempts at writing books set in the 1920s often feel slightly wrong. But I found that she was less annoying as the story went on, partly because she loses a little of the limelight, and also is a little out of her depth. Jack Glass, was more of a cipher, and I'm not sure whether I ever fully got to know him properly.
I found Jack Glass entertaining - and amusing at times, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. (I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting, to be honest - possibly a little more detective story like?). I really like the cover though.
Why I picked it up: The premise (Golden Age detection meets science fiction) intrigued me, and it was on the shortlist for the Kitschies.
Blue Remembered Earth is set in 2161, in a future where, unlike most science fiction, it is not the USA and Europe that dominate, but the Chinese, Indians and Africans. The main characters, Sunday and Geoffrey Akinya are part of the Kenyan Akinya family which has business interests over most of the solar system. On the death of the reclusive matriarch of the family, Eunice, an audit turns up a safety deposit box on the Moon, sparking off a treasure hunt, with clues leading to the Moon, Mars and further.
It is chock full with interesting ideas - on Earth everyone is tracked at all times, and violence of all forms is tracked, though there is a Descrutinised Zone on the Moon; it's possible to be virtually present elsewhere, possibly using a golem or even someone else's body. But it does feel like an extrapolation of the present.
It took me a long time to finish. I was reading it in bits and pieces, mostly because my interest was never fully caught by it. Part of that is that I didn't particularly like any of the characters, so I had trouble caring what happened to them. That said, I don't regret taking the time to read it, and will probably read the sequels when they come out.
I did prefer the latter part of the book, where some of the secrets started to come out rather than the treasure hunt part. Part of that is that the setting was now familiar, and needed less worldbuilding.
Why I picked it up: It got good reviews, I've liked some of Reynolds' books in the past, and it was the start of a new series.
It is chock full with interesting ideas - on Earth everyone is tracked at all times, and violence of all forms is tracked, though there is a Descrutinised Zone on the Moon; it's possible to be virtually present elsewhere, possibly using a golem or even someone else's body. But it does feel like an extrapolation of the present.
It took me a long time to finish. I was reading it in bits and pieces, mostly because my interest was never fully caught by it. Part of that is that I didn't particularly like any of the characters, so I had trouble caring what happened to them. That said, I don't regret taking the time to read it, and will probably read the sequels when they come out.
I did prefer the latter part of the book, where some of the secrets started to come out rather than the treasure hunt part. Part of that is that the setting was now familiar, and needed less worldbuilding.
Why I picked it up: It got good reviews, I've liked some of Reynolds' books in the past, and it was the start of a new series.
Sup with the Devil is the third in the Abigail Adams Mysteries set in Boston in the 1770s. In this installment, one of Mrs. Adams' nephews, a student at nearby Harvard, has requested her help as he fears someone has tried to kill him. While she is visiting him in Cambridge, one of Horace's fellow students and friends is killed. Naturally, she gets involved in the investigation of both. But the events are overshadowed by the political situation - the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party.
I think what I appreciate most about this book (and the series in general) is that it seems true to period in a way that most historical mysteries aren't. Abigail Adams is an intelligent woman, educated and curious about the world around her, but her mindset is that of a late 18th Century woman. She is busy with keeping the house, including churning butter, marketing, cooking and mending, as well as looking after the children. She also feels guilty for not leaving work undone while she is trying to discover more about the incidents.
Definitely recommended to anyone who likes intelligent historical mysteries.
Why I picked it up: I think I can blame a tor.com post on me reading The Ninth Daughter and read the latter two as a result.
I think what I appreciate most about this book (and the series in general) is that it seems true to period in a way that most historical mysteries aren't. Abigail Adams is an intelligent woman, educated and curious about the world around her, but her mindset is that of a late 18th Century woman. She is busy with keeping the house, including churning butter, marketing, cooking and mending, as well as looking after the children. She also feels guilty for not leaving work undone while she is trying to discover more about the incidents.
Definitely recommended to anyone who likes intelligent historical mysteries.
Why I picked it up: I think I can blame a tor.com post on me reading The Ninth Daughter and read the latter two as a result.
Elegy for April is the third in a series featuring Quirke, a pathologist in 1950s Dublin. This series should be best read in order as the relationships between the characters plays a huge role.
Quirke is still inSt. John of God's St. John of the Cross drying out after a 6 month drinking binge when his daughter, Phoebe, confides that one of her friends seems to have dropped out of sight. Phoebe hasn't heard from April Latimer, a junior doctor in the hospital Quirke works in and the niece of the Minister for Health, in a week and is worried about her. Quirke agrees to help Phoebe find her friend, and asks Inspector Hackett in turn for help.
In many ways the story, although intriguing, is not the most important part. Instead, it is the interactions between characters and the setting which shine. The Dublin portrayed is a secretive, claustrophobic city - whether it's nosy neighbours feeling obliged to watch and listen or the all-important Minister controlling what the newspapers can print.
The characters are well-drawn, with Quirke and Phoebe still dancing around their newly found father-daughter relationship. Phoebe is also dealing with friendships and the jealousies that they can cause.
Elegy for April is a mystery at heart, but at the same time, it is more - a character study, and a reflection of Dublin society of the 1950s and its influence on Dublin today.
Why I picked it up: I read and enjoyed Christine Falls and The Silver Swan and wanted to read more in the setting.
Quirke is still in
In many ways the story, although intriguing, is not the most important part. Instead, it is the interactions between characters and the setting which shine. The Dublin portrayed is a secretive, claustrophobic city - whether it's nosy neighbours feeling obliged to watch and listen or the all-important Minister controlling what the newspapers can print.
The characters are well-drawn, with Quirke and Phoebe still dancing around their newly found father-daughter relationship. Phoebe is also dealing with friendships and the jealousies that they can cause.
Elegy for April is a mystery at heart, but at the same time, it is more - a character study, and a reflection of Dublin society of the 1950s and its influence on Dublin today.
Why I picked it up: I read and enjoyed Christine Falls and The Silver Swan and wanted to read more in the setting.
The Firebird is a semi-sequel to Sophia's Secret/The Winter Sea and also features a character from The Shadowy Horses, so I would recommend reading them first to get the full enjoyment out of this novel.
Nicola has inherited the ability to touch an object and see scenes from its past from her Russian grandfather. In the past she was part of a research project in Edinburgh, but she left, and has tried to ignore her gift. She is now working in an art gallery in London where she comes into contact with the firebird of the title - a carving that is claimed to have been owned by the Empress Catherine. The woman offering it for sale is in desperate need of money but has no proof. Nicola feels compelled to help her and is launched on a journey to Scotland, Belgium and finally to Russia.
As in Sophia's Secret/The Winter Sea, The Firebird links two stories - one in the past and in one in the present. Here, Nicola, along with her old boyfriend Robbie whose abilities outshine hers, follow in the footsteps of Sophia's daughter Anna. 300 years earlier, Jacobite Anna is fleeing the enemies of her parents.
I preferred the historical story, of Anna and her adventures through 17th Europe, more than I did the contemporary one. I'm not entirely convinced of the romance between Nicola and Robbie. That said, I did really like this book. It was pretty un-put-downable, as I needed to find out what happens next. At the same time, the descriptions gave me the feeling of actually being in 17th Century St. Petersburg.
Why I picked it up: I enjoyed Sophia's Secret/The Winter Sea and The Shadowy Horses (as well as the rest of Susanna Kearsley's works).
Nicola has inherited the ability to touch an object and see scenes from its past from her Russian grandfather. In the past she was part of a research project in Edinburgh, but she left, and has tried to ignore her gift. She is now working in an art gallery in London where she comes into contact with the firebird of the title - a carving that is claimed to have been owned by the Empress Catherine. The woman offering it for sale is in desperate need of money but has no proof. Nicola feels compelled to help her and is launched on a journey to Scotland, Belgium and finally to Russia.
As in Sophia's Secret/The Winter Sea, The Firebird links two stories - one in the past and in one in the present. Here, Nicola, along with her old boyfriend Robbie whose abilities outshine hers, follow in the footsteps of Sophia's daughter Anna. 300 years earlier, Jacobite Anna is fleeing the enemies of her parents.
I preferred the historical story, of Anna and her adventures through 17th Europe, more than I did the contemporary one. I'm not entirely convinced of the romance between Nicola and Robbie. That said, I did really like this book. It was pretty un-put-downable, as I needed to find out what happens next. At the same time, the descriptions gave me the feeling of actually being in 17th Century St. Petersburg.
Why I picked it up: I enjoyed Sophia's Secret/The Winter Sea and The Shadowy Horses (as well as the rest of Susanna Kearsley's works).
Katherine Swynford is familiar to a lot of people thanks to Katherine by Anya Seton, a highly fictionalised account of the story of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt. Katherine Swynford is an attempt to make clear what we do and don't know about her.
Unfortunately, as a woman of fairly low status (she was the daughter of a knight) in 14th Century England, the information that is available is pretty scant. However, rather than try and use that information to write a more standard biography, Jeannette Lucraft chose instead to try and examine all of the existing evidence in an effort to judge what is accurate, what is more likely slander as well as ways of interpreting less direct evidence.
For me, this was a pretty unusual approach to a biography, however probably the best approach for someone with so little records left. I'm not sure how much new information I learned from it. What I have a better idea of is what it is possible to know about Katherine Swynford and how much is simply guesswork on someone's part.
Why I picked up: I have been reading a lot of fiction set in the 14th/15th Century, and wanted to understand what was true and was poetic license.
Unfortunately, as a woman of fairly low status (she was the daughter of a knight) in 14th Century England, the information that is available is pretty scant. However, rather than try and use that information to write a more standard biography, Jeannette Lucraft chose instead to try and examine all of the existing evidence in an effort to judge what is accurate, what is more likely slander as well as ways of interpreting less direct evidence.
For me, this was a pretty unusual approach to a biography, however probably the best approach for someone with so little records left. I'm not sure how much new information I learned from it. What I have a better idea of is what it is possible to know about Katherine Swynford and how much is simply guesswork on someone's part.
Why I picked up: I have been reading a lot of fiction set in the 14th/15th Century, and wanted to understand what was true and was poetic license.
This is the first in a series recounting the lives of the Waringham family, a fictional earldom in Medieval England. The novel opens with Robin of Waringham, a young student at a monastery, learning that his father Gervais, Earl of Waringham, has been found guilty of treason and his lands and title are forfeited. Robin now has to decide how he's going to survive.
The title translates as "The Smile of Fortune" - with Fortune alternating between smiling and frowning over Robin. The book is set in England during the late 14th Century covering the later part of the reign of Edward III to the crowning of Henry IV. Robin spends most of his life as a loyal follower of John of Gaunt, and so the book is clearly on the side of the Lancasters.
The various adventures of Robin can be a little bit over the top - and he is naturally on hand for all of the big events of the late 14th Century. It's also a big thick door-stopper. But I love this book (and the series) in spite of that. It is slightly strange though, to read a book set in medieval England written by a German in German.
It seems to be historically accurate, at least as much as is possible in a book about the 14th Century. (I will complain however about Trim Castle being described as a seaside castle - it's miles away from the coast.)
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction. Unfortunately, it's only available in the original German edition at the moment, but hopefully it may get picked up by an English language publisher and translated.
Why I picked it up: I originally picked up the sequel Die Hüter der Rose because it featured the Wars of the Roses, and went back to this one later. (I have a tradition of reading series out of order)
Why I picked it up: I originally picked up the sequel Die Hüter der Rose because it featured the Wars of the Roses, and went back to this one later. (I have a tradition of reading series out of order)
- Current Mood:accomplished
For some reason, that I don't quite understand, I seem to have decided to actually start reviewing books. I'm blaming 
hatgirl and the SFF Book Chat getting me more accustomed to write my thoughts after reading.
For the moment, the reviews are going up on librarything first, but I'll be slowly posting them over here too, once I figure out the best way of doing it, i.e. the one involving least effort :-)
hatgirl and the SFF Book Chat getting me more accustomed to write my thoughts after reading.For the moment, the reviews are going up on librarything first, but I'll be slowly posting them over here too, once I figure out the best way of doing it, i.e. the one involving least effort :-)
- Current Mood:accomplished
