2021 | rnhope

2021 - 50 books

The Little Book by Seldon Edwards - a marvelous book with shifts in time and space from late 19th century Vienna to 1988 California. Wonderful characters, rich exchange of ideas, love, intimacy, strength and character. I enjoyed it very much.
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore - it is rare that I finish a book and immediately go to Amazon to order another by that same author. Dirty Job was funny, irreverent, wacky, and still touched me (as a fellow beta-male). Man loses wife in childbirth and raises his baby girl amongst the most ridiculous people and circumstances. A lot of fun.
A Stained White Radiance by James Lee Burke - one of my favorite authors only recently discovered. He paints a picture of life in Louisiana that is beautiful, from pecan trees to live oaks and freshly mown lawn, from oysters to shrimp, from New Orleans to the bayou and Teche. Amongst all that is a compelling story with unusual but believable characters. Very good read.
The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore - I can't recall ever having read three books by the same author in such a short period of time. Each has been odd... very, very odd. And Lust Lizard is perhaps the most odd of the bunch. This involves a fascinating number of characters in a small, quiet town brought together in an unusual way by the emanations of the lust lizard, a prehistoric beast from the depths of the ocean. The is sex, sexual deviancy, Blues, rats, religion, drugs (legal and illegal) and, of course, the Beast, Steve. Great fun.
Noir by Christopher Moore - read this fast on the heels of A Dirty Job and enjoyed it just as much. Set in SF in the '40s it involves all sorts of characters; bartenders, waitresses, nightclub hosts, shipyard workers, dirty cops, generals, spies, snakes, shriveled old Chinese, and aliens. Some of the funniest lines I've run across in a long time, notably the diner chatter between waitress and cook.
The Moses Expedition by Juan Gomez-Jurado - translated from the Spanish. Yet another Spanish author that I enjoyed immensely. Great storyline with interesting characters traced from WWII to present (2006). Kept me up late a few nights which is always a good indicator. Villain held hidden till very end, heroes plausible. Something about Spanish authors that I can't identify....
City of Endless Night by Preston & Child - another Pendergast/D'Agosta novel, this one in NY where the nigh-on impossible murders and beheadings lead them on a merry chase. These novels featuring Aloysius Pendergast are reliable fun.
Testimony by Scott Turow - a novel that highlights a period of great injustice towards a never-before understood racial group... the Roma. The Roma, or gypsy, were heavily persecuted as late as even this century. A real eye-opener wrapped in a compelling story line albeit sprinkled with unnecessary sexual content.
Hornet Flight by Ken Follett - a very interesting story of the Nazi occupation of Denmark and the birth of the Danish resistance. Not entirely believable story but near enough that it kept me reading. Several main characters wound up dead because of the power lust of the occupation forces but, in the end, guy gets girl and they survive to fight again. Enjoyed learning a bit about the Danish landscape and customs.
The Fix by David Baldacci - I generally try to avoid the biggest names in authors but this was pretty good. Well written story of FBI working its way through a spy ring. A good leading man, far from the mr. perfects that come with so many novels, Amos is a complex and odd character.
The Fourth Hand by John Irving - another prominent author that was new to me... and I enjoyed his story-telling style. Good characters that were almost, but not quite, believable. Good enough that I picked up another by Irving - we'll see how it goes.
The Escape by David Baldacci - my second or third book by Baldacci involved the Puller brothers and a spy plot engineered by a nasty woman with ties to Russian nukes. A quick pace and an enjoyable read... very unbelievable but still entertaining.
Moonglow by Michael Chabon - a great story of a wonderfully interesting character told through the stories he shared with his grandson as he nears his own death. Great characters throughout the family and I loved every page.
The Malta Exchange by Steve Berry - always enjoy a good Vatican-based story... this one with a twin brother stepping in after murdering his Cardinal brother and attempting to steal the papacy. A couple good characters in Cotton Malone and Luke. Interesting to learn about Malta and the Hospitaller Knights.
Saving Faith by David Baldacci -Same Baldacci but different hero. Good story involving DC politics and CIA/FBI interaction.
Bordeaux, A NOVEL in Four Vintages by Paul Torday - a very curious book that I've placed in the center of my list simply because I don't know if I liked it or not. The story a 'nerd' tech designer as he comes out of his shell amongst friends of unknown genuine nature. The story revolves around the growth of his interest in wine, from early introduction to a liking to obsession that costs him his only love. A very sad story wherein obsession , first with a woman and then wine, destroys everything around him as he becomes more and more self-absorbed. Can't really recommend it nor would I discourage you reading it... as I said, a curious novel.
The Kremlin Conspiracy by Joel Rosenberg - I read this one at the same time as "The Fix" and there were many similarities. It kept me up late more than once. Story of an individual from college through military service to Secret Service to retirement, where he leads an extraction and assignation. Good story but a case of an unbelievable hero.
Mycroft and Sherlock by Kareem Abdul Jabbar - yes, that Kareem. Turns out he is quite the Holmesian and this is his second Holmes novel, written in much the same style as Doyle. Story of a big brother/little brother relationship where Sherlock is 17/18 years old. It's a good story and the characters are well developed, easily a prequel to Doyle's work you can see the onset of Sherlock's interests in crime, observation and pursuit of the truth. I enjoyed it though it was a very easy read... no challenges in vocabulary or reading level - pretty basic and could be considered a young adult novel.
Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore -fun, but not as zany as his other two shown above. Oh, it's got ghosts, talking bats, ninjas, and a Sky Priestess but it almost makes sense... almost. Loved a couple of the secondary characters, especially Kimi, the girl-man.
The Bishops Pawn by Steve Berry - Cotton Malone digs into the life and assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the involvement of the J. Edgar Hoover's FBI. I can see how it might have happened this way but it seems a much-complicated plot line than if Hoover had simply said "take him out". But a fun period piece in sections where it glimpsed MLK's life.
Tombland by CJ Sansom - a historical mystery novel by this British author. It is the seventh and last in the Matthew Shardlake series. In the summer of 1549, the story deals with the investigation of a murder in Norfolk. Matthew Shardlake is entrusted by Princess Elizabeth to investigate the murder of the wife of a distant relative of hers. In the course of his investigation Shardlake gets involved in the Kett's Rebellion.
A Measure of Darkness by Jonathan & Jesse Kellerman - a coroner and his pals in homicide... good development of principal character and good 'conversational' dialogue. Not a bad mystery.
Murder on the Atlantic by Steve Allen - I've always loved Steve Allen as a comedian and intellectual so I was pleased to pick up one of his novels. He's written as himself (with Jayne) on a cruise across the Atlantic where he gets mixed up in all sorts of intrigue and trouble. A fun read though not challenging.
A Fine Retribution by Dewey Lambdin - 23rd in a series of naval adventures of Sir Alan Lewrie, British war hero of late 18th Century and early 19th. A pleasant read with time spent on land and at sea... full of detailed terminology, An interesting insight to the life of a Captain on-shore and without a boat, taking his service crew ashore with him.
A Wanted Man by Lee Child - okay, I'll admit to an addiction to Jack Reacher novels... they just suck me in. Choppy writing with short, easy sentences, probably written for junior high level readers, but I'm all in. I put it at the bottom of the list because any higher would be embarrassing.
The Order by Daniel Silva - I can't believe that Silva is near the bottom of my list. I have always enjoyed his work and the work of Gabriel Allon that he has imagined. The Order felt like so many other books on deceit and intrigue at the Vatican. But is was a short book... short on adventure, short on espionage, short on tension. I'll keep reading Silva but it is time to create a new character.
Possession by A.S. Byatt - a difficult read... long and crammed with 'epic' poetry that the author created to mimic 19th Century poets like Wordsworth. Really well done; she created two distinct styles of writing and wrapped it all in a good story with interesting and believable characters from an academia setting. The story was so well written and disguised as non-fiction that I had to Google and Wikipedia the characters twice. But a long and difficult book with a challenging vocabulary and referencing.
Copernicus' Secret by Jack Repcheck - I had, of course, heard of Copernicus and knew of his importance but this non-fiction account of his contributions to science was remarkable. His work in astronomy and conclusions in theorizing a heliocentric universe was radical. His life, he was a canon, was also brushed by issues with the Lutheran reformation and the Catholic church because of his work and his relationship with a woman.
Blue Moon by Lee Child - yes, I got sucked into another Jack Reacher novel and, no, they haven't elevated themselves to literature yet. Fast-paced action and a character so unlike Tom Cruise that I still can't believe he was cast in that role. Usually Reacher takes care of a few bad guys that pop up in the story but here he reaches new heights wiping out two underworld gangs in a small midwestern city. Complete crap but I read it and down the hole I went.
No Man's Land by David Baldacci - entertaining, quick read, rather unbelievable but the characters were interesting.
Madness is Better than Defeat by Ned Beauman - I have a hard time explaining this one... part CIA flashback, part Hollywood, part NY rich kid, all coming together in a jungle where two large groups of men & women converge on a Mayan temple that one team wants to disassemble for transport to NY while the others want to make a movie in situ. They reach an impasse that lasts some 8 years while the rest of the world experiences WWII. Very strange indeed.
Flight by Jan Burke - a well-told story spanning a ten year period of a crime, from the initial murder to collateral damage, from investigation to retribution and then resolution ten years after the event that cleared a detective of false accusations. A pleasant representation of two ordinary men separated by the ten years, one accused and dead. , the second ostracized in his search for a resolution. A pleasant read, not exciting but I was pulled in by the end.
Sudden Death by Alvaro Enrigue - what a cool and intriguing book... the story of a tennis match in early 16th C, and the world in that time as it is tied to the tennis. From tennis balls made from the hair of Ann Boleyn to popes to Hernan Cortez and his capture of Mexico. Fascinating how all of these disparate themes are tied together. Book is translated from the Spanish; I continue to be drawn to Spanish authors... don't know why.
The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury - there is no end to the Templar list of novels. This one is okay but the hero is an idiot, continually exercising really bad judgment. It was engaging but I was pleased it was over.
The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky - uniquely Russian style of formality. Good characters and an interesting story of a gambler wrapped inside high society.
The Pope of Palm Beach by Tim Dorsey - Dorsey is what I would call a poor man's Carl Hiaasen; fun, irreverent stories of oddballs in Florida. The Pope in this case is secondary to another character but he set the tone as a laid-back, easy going lifestyle, screwed up by two bizarre guys through which the story develops. A little too much of a good thing in Serge but overall a fun read.
Rupert of Hentzau by Anthony Hope - a good follow-up to The Prisoner of Zenda with most of the characters continuing. You have to like the style or the book would be tiresome... but I like the style from this ancestor.
The Ecliptic by Benjamin Wood - the story of an artist at different phases of her life; from raw beginnings to great success and ultimately withdrawal. Good book.
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling - I love the story and the writing is excellent in depicting the era and the people of mixed heritage. Couldn't help thinking of Spencer Tracey and Mickey Rooney as a Portuguese fisherman and the wise son of the captain.
Deep Storm by Lincoln Child - I have thoroughly enjoyed books that he co-authored with Preston but this one fell flat. His character was just a little too special to lend any credibility to the storyline. Can't recommend it.
The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder - translated from Swedish. An interesting story that wraps Norse mythology into a current setting by the narration of a special book... a sticky bun book. The story of a family pulled apart and then reunited on the hundreds years old tale.
The Cellist by Daniel Silva - very disappointing novel by one of my favorite authors... another in the storyline of Gabriel Allon. Too many perfect people and perfect skills, and perfect jewelry and perfect stuff. Nobody is ordinary. This novel is a stretch in the story itself, as evidenced by the unusually large type and wide margins. Also included WAY too much fluff. Lastly it became very political and was very anti-Trump... comparing the Jan. 6 kerfuffle to a revolution. Time for me to move on to other authors...........
Naked Came a Florida Man by Tim Dorsey - a second book by Dorsey, and one too many. First time around I enjoyed the book (Pope of Palm Beach) most of the way through but grew weary towards the end. This one caught me weary right from the get-go. Unfortunately, I bought the two at one time. Character Serge and his side-kick Coleman just got on my nerves.
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain - read on the recommendation of my brother, I thought it was interestingly told by Joan's childhood friend. Fascinating story of her religious conviction and selflessness.
Con Ed by Matthew Klein - a decent read but much time spent explaining things that were already common knowledge. A quick book or I may not have finished it. There was a very nice twist at the end but, even then, it was rather predictable.
Blood is Blood by Will Thomas - a rather simple storyline and character... couldn't get invested in either. A detective story based in early 20th Century London pulling in a Pinkerton man from the wild US. Not one that I'd recommend but not awful.
Sherlock Holmes and the Rune Stone Mystery by Larry Millett - raise your hand if you knew that Sherlock had ever ventured to America... I certainly didn't. While the author is no Sir Arthur he weaves and interesting tale that brings Holmes and Watson to Minnesota and the question of the Rune Stone's authenticity. A pleasant book but more laborious than the original works.
The Pretty Lady by Arnold Bennett - a pleasant story but unremarkable.
Red Hunter by William F Buckley Jr. - the story of Joe McCarthy, in the style of an Irving Stone but not written nearly as well. Very dryly presented life story of the Senator and his chief aide in the Senate Communist trials. Going back to his childhood, through college, war, and political career. Yawn.........
Good For Nothing by Brandon Graham - a depressing story of the collapse of a man and his family in the wake of the economic downturn, lay-offs and dismal employment environment. The man grows obese eating his emotions and destroys his family through his depression. Dismal, dismal story.

2021 - 50 books

The Little Book by Seldon Edwards - a marvelous book with shifts in time and space from late 19th century Vienna to 1988 California. Wonderful characters, rich exchange of ideas, love, intimacy, strength and character. I enjoyed it very much.

City of Endless Night by Preston & Child - another Pendergast/D'Agosta novel, this one in NY where the nigh-on impossible murders and beheadings lead them on a merry chase. These novels featuring Aloysius Pendergast are reliable fun.

The Fix by David Baldacci - I generally try to avoid the biggest names in authors but this was pretty good. Well written story of FBI working its way through a spy ring. A good leading man, far from the mr. perfects that come with so many novels, Amos is a complex and odd character.

The Fourth Hand by John Irving - another prominent author that was new to me... and I enjoyed his story-telling style. Good characters that were almost, but not quite, believable. Good enough that I picked up another by Irving - we'll see how it goes.

The Escape by David Baldacci - my second or third book by Baldacci involved the Puller brothers and a spy plot engineered by a nasty woman with ties to Russian nukes. A quick pace and an enjoyable read... very unbelievable but still entertaining.

Moonglow by Michael Chabon - a great story of a wonderfully interesting character told through the stories he shared with his grandson as he nears his own death. Great characters throughout the family and I loved every page.

Saving Faith by David Baldacci -Same Baldacci but different hero. Good story involving DC politics and CIA/FBI interaction.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore -fun, but not as zany as his other two shown above. Oh, it's got ghosts, talking bats, ninjas, and a Sky Priestess but it almost makes sense... almost. Loved a couple of the secondary characters, especially Kimi, the girl-man.

A Measure of Darkness by Jonathan & Jesse Kellerman - a coroner and his pals in homicide... good development of principal character and good 'conversational' dialogue. Not a bad mystery.

A Wanted Man by Lee Child - okay, I'll admit to an addiction to Jack Reacher novels... they just suck me in. Choppy writing with short, easy sentences, probably written for junior high level readers, but I'm all in. I put it at the bottom of the list because any higher would be embarrassing.

No Man's Land by David Baldacci - entertaining, quick read, rather unbelievable but the characters were interesting.

The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury - there is no end to the Templar list of novels. This one is okay but the hero is an idiot, continually exercising really bad judgment. It was engaging but I was pleased it was over.

The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky - uniquely Russian style of formality. Good characters and an interesting story of a gambler wrapped inside high society.

Rupert of Hentzau by Anthony Hope - a good follow-up to The Prisoner of Zenda with most of the characters continuing. You have to like the style or the book would be tiresome... but I like the style from this ancestor.

The Ecliptic by Benjamin Wood - the story of an artist at different phases of her life; from raw beginnings to great success and ultimately withdrawal. Good book.

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling - I love the story and the writing is excellent in depicting the era and the people of mixed heritage. Couldn't help thinking of Spencer Tracey and Mickey Rooney as a Portuguese fisherman and the wise son of the captain.

Deep Storm by Lincoln Child - I have thoroughly enjoyed books that he co-authored with Preston but this one fell flat. His character was just a little too special to lend any credibility to the storyline. Can't recommend it.

The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder - translated from Swedish. An interesting story that wraps Norse mythology into a current setting by the narration of a special book... a sticky bun book. The story of a family pulled apart and then reunited on the hundreds years old tale.

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain - read on the recommendation of my brother, I thought it was interestingly told by Joan's childhood friend. Fascinating story of her religious conviction and selflessness.

Con Ed by Matthew Klein - a decent read but much time spent explaining things that were already common knowledge. A quick book or I may not have finished it. There was a very nice twist at the end but, even then, it was rather predictable.

Blood is Blood by Will Thomas - a rather simple storyline and character... couldn't get invested in either. A detective story based in early 20th Century London pulling in a Pinkerton man from the wild US. Not one that I'd recommend but not awful.

The Pretty Lady by Arnold Bennett - a pleasant story but unremarkable.

Good For Nothing by Brandon Graham - a depressing story of the collapse of a man and his family in the wake of the economic downturn, lay-offs and dismal employment environment. The man grows obese eating his emotions and destroys his family through his depression. Dismal, dismal story.