New Arrivals
This was a very good week. Three pre-ordered books all came through the door on Tuesday, things I’ve been looking forward to. Plus, shown after the books, two jazz albums. Goodness!
Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger [Atria Books August 2014 hardcover, purchased new] – mystery novel. The latest Cork O’conner novel. Ex-sherriff O’Conner, now a private eye, takes a case involving the disappearance and subsequent death of a teenage girl. I love Krueger’s books. Can hardly wait to read this.
Sherlock Holmes – The Spirit Box by George Mann [Titan Books 2014 trade paper, purchased new] – mystery, Holmes pastiche. The next of Mann’s adventures of the famous detective. I enjoyed the first one, The Will of the Dead very much.
Darkness, Darkness by John Harvey [Pegasus Crime 2014 hardcover, purchased new] – mystery novel. Harvey has taken a long break from his Charlie Resnick series, which had seemed to be finished, but now he returns one more time to tell of Resnick’s last case. I couldn’t be happier that Resnick is back.
Also these jazz albums, which I once had on vinyl but never got on CD until now.
The Soothsayer by Wayne Shorter [Blue Note Records 1979] I think this is one of Shorter’s best albums, but then they are all great.
Speak No Evil by Wayne Shorter [Blue Note Records 1965] This could be his best known album, but he’s so good who can say which is “best”?
Current Reading
My eyes seem better, at least enough for me to launch into a book rather than the occasional short story. If only the rest of my health would also improve! Anyway, I’ve decided to tackle a four book fantasy quartet, Christopher Paolai’s The Inheritance Cycle: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance. These are doorstop-sized books, in the 500-600 page range, so reading the set is no small undertaking. I’ll take breaks between books to read short stories. I’ve now finished Eragon and Eldest. and am about halfway through Brisinger. I had read Eragon when it came out (nearly ten years ago!), but only remembered parts of it.
I’m also eager to read the new books that just came today, so we’ll see. Plus, when the new Louise Penny book arrives in a day or so I’ll drop everything and read that.
Barbara has read three Ed McBain 87th Precinct novels: Doll, Give the Boys a Great Big Hand and Eighty Million Eyes. She also read Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child. She just finished Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger that was noted above, loving it.
What new books did you get, and what have you been reading?
The Broken Bullhorn 
My daughter was in her teens when she read Christopher Paolini’s fantasy quartet as they came out and she has recommended the author to me. So far I haven’t felt the inclination to read them because of their length. I’m currently reading Alan Sillitoe’s THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER. Although slow paced I have generally enjoyed Sillitoe’s work.
Not familiar with the music. Looks good though as do the books. May have to get The Holmes pastiche.
Glad to hear that your eyes have improved. Now get the rest of you better!
With a haul like this, I’m glad your health and eyesight are improving so you can enjoy it! I’m working Registration today. Classes start next week. I’m finishing up a couple Big Fat Books this week. Only slim books until Christmas!
Great news double time – 1, you’re back and 2, so is Charlie Resnick! That is on my “hold” list along with the new Lee Child (in case Barbara doesn’t know it is coming soon).
After a couple of slow months I’ve been reading a lot of short stories in August, including this past week. I read Kage Baker’s “Company” collection, BLACK PROJECTS, WHITE KNIGHTS and Amy Bloom’s second collection, A BLIND MAN CAN SEE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, which is kind of a downer – every story seems to be about some ailment – especially compared with her newer collection. Two highlights of the week: Bill Crider’s latest Sheriff Dan Rhodes book, HALF IN LOVE WITH ARTFUL DEATH, which shows the Sheriff (and Hack & Lawton) in fine form; and (as recommended by George & Diane Kelley) Gabrielle Zevin’s wonderful THE STORIES LIFE OF A J. FIKRY. (Check George’s blog for a review.)
I got the latest Crippen & Landru collection, the huge NIGHT CALL & Other Stories of Suspense by Charlotte Armstrong, plus the annual Malice DOmestic bonus story (which I’ve read), “The Tell-Tale Twinkle” by Kathy Lynn Emerson. Also bought & received: the latest Insp. Salvo Montalbano book by Andrea Camilleri, ANGELICA’S SMILE.
Currently reading Julie Orringer’s short story collection, HOW TO BREATHE UNDERWATER, and the sf/mystery RED PLANET BLUES by Robert J. Sawyer, abnout a p.i. on Mars.
Hope your health continues to improve. There are many more books to be read. 🙂
All three books look great,Richard, and I’m glad things are improving in the eye department.
Except for THE SELECTED LETTERS OF ELLERY QUEEN (my FFB on Friday), this week has been mainly graphic novels and old SF anthologies for me. GNs were BATMAN BY GASLIGHT (the Caped Crusader vs. Batman), WATSON AND HOLMES: A STUDY IN BLACK (Sherlock reimagined as a modern inner city Black), Craig Russell’s ELRIC: STORMBRINGER (based on the Michael Moorcock character), and Volume 1 of HARLAN ELLISON’S DREAM CORRIDOR. The anthologies were George Earley’s ENCOUNTERS WITH ALIENS, I. O. Evans’ SCIENCE FICTION THROUGH THE AGES 2, and Boucher and McComas’ THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE, SECOND SERIES.
I’m currently reading Bill Crider’s latest Dan Rhodes mystery. Actually, I’m zipping through it. (That’s the trouble with Bill’s books, they are great (but fast) reads so there’s that long wait between them. I think Bill should write one a week, but I don’t think he’ll cooperate.)
Waiting in the wings are a James Reasoner/Ed Gorman western, an Arthur Machen horror novel, a F. Paul Wilson SF omnibus, and a collection of Basil Copper stories.
Stay well.
Prashant, your daughter may have been in her teens when she started the series of four books, but it took nine years from first book publication to fourth book publication, so she probably wasn’t a teen by that time! Yes, they are long, but I’m not a fast reader and I’m getting through them pretty quickly.
Randy, from what I see on your blog, you’re more of a heavy metal guy than a jazz listener. Shorter was a giant in his time, and in my opinion still is.
Thank you, Bill. Compared to what your spouse is going through, my ills are as nothing. Still, I would like to be 100% again. I had a good weigh-in today, lost a couple of pounds this week.
George, and so another academic year begins. I’ll bet the students are fighting to get into your classes, as usual. I’ve read a lot of pages since my eyes improved, the Inheritance books have run 550, 670 and 620 pages. But I’ll stop reading fantasy tomorrow afternoon when the new Louise Penny novel arrives, and read that one immediately. Then I can finish the fantasy quartet and catch up on Krueger.
Jeff, thank you. I “saved” the last couple of Resnick novels since I thought there would be no more, but my recent bout with poor sight has cured me of that silly habit. I’ll be reading the last couple and then this one as soon as I can get to them. Yes, Barbara knows of that one but has three or four to finish before she gets to it.
I have Kage Baker’s Empress of Mars from the library, but won’t get to it in time and will have to send it back. I got it after George’s review. I try to avoid at all costs books that are downers. I’m a little behind on Bill’s books to. Gosh, it seems I’m behind on everyone’s books!
I dropped out of Crippen & Landru, told Doug I couldn’t afford to buy them any more, which is true. I’m buying VERY few books these days. I am not familiar with the Insp. Salvo Montalbano books. We’re waiting for the fourth Mykonos book from the library.
Charles. thanks very much. Best of luck with the new semester.
I finally gave up on waiting for the Siger book from the library and was lucky enough to get a copy from PaperbackSwap.com. I won’t be keeping it so let me know if you want it and I will be happy to pass it along as soon as I read it.
Crippen & Landru has slowed their schedule way down – I think this is only the second or third book I can remember this year, The last was the third Ed Hoch book about Dr. Sam Hawthorne.
The Montalbano books are set in Sicily and, while different from the Greek books by Jeffrey Siger, might appeal to you for the island atmosphere, food, etc. I like cranky Montalbano a lot.
Jeff, we’re about 15 people away from the Siger book here, so we’ll wait. But thanks for the offer. Beside cost, the lack of new books, and my lack of interest in the majority of them, were other reasons why I cancelled my subscription with C&L. The Montalbano books sound like something I should look for.
I haven’t read Harvey in ages but used to really like him. Mann is someone I have yet to try – he did an audio Sherlock Holmes story that I thought was actually very poor but I know he has a great reputation for hims steampunk books – look forward to reading what you make of it Rich.
I should give the Christopher Paoli series a shot, but lately anytime i look at a 500+ page book, my brain just wants to run screaming. Been zipping through some novellas and 300 page novels lately, that seems about the length I can handle right now.
Those mysteries look fantastic! Can the Cork O’conner novels be read as stand alones, or should a reader new to the series start somewhere near the beginning?
Red, the Cork O’Conner books really need to be read in order, as there is a lot of plot, situational and character development as the series progresses. Start with IRON LAKE, then go to BOUNDARY WATERS. My current two favorite living mystery authors are Krueger and Louise Penny.
As for the Inheritance books, though they are door stop sized, I’m finding myself getting through them fairly fast, and I’m not a particularly fast reader.
I’m reading my usual mishmash of fiction and nonfiction. My “sounds of summer” though has been largely audio books. I decided to start listening to some of the books in my TBR pile, and I’m almost done with the final book of Joe Abercrombie’s FIRST LAW trilogy. I really enjoy them. Gritty fantasy stuff; I’d read his book THE HEROES a couple years ago, which takes place after this trilogy, and loved it.
Musically, these last couple months have been all about Nikki Lane, kind of a country/country rock singer. For whatever reason it really clicked with me.