Nobody Move, by Denis Johnson

• Title:  Nobody Move
• Author:  Denis Johnson
• Borrowed from DC Library (Audiobook)
• Started: 3/26/2015
• Finished:  3/30/2015 

 
Denis Johnson has quickly become my favorite author that I had never heard of.  A couple of books back I read his "Train Dreams" and loved it.  This time around it was the noir-ish Nobody Move and I almost read it again as soon as I finished, I enjoyed this book so much.
 
 

The Spartacus War, by Barry Strauss

Title: The Spartacus War
Author: Barry Strauss
Borrowed from DC Public Library
Started: 3/31/2015
Finished: 3/26/2015

The final book on Spartacus for me, I think. This was a very good description of the possible/hypothetical rise and fall of Spartacus based on ancient texts. I've seen the authors name around quite a bit and was curious to see how I like his writing. My favorite is still the Howard Fast novel, but these are two very different books and not competing against each other. Both were great reads.

On a side note: this is the first book I've read in a long time that was in print and not an ebook on the kindle or an audiobook. Last one was sometime in 2014 I guess. That is hard to believe.

Savage Season, by Joe Lansdale

• Title:  Savage Season
• Author:  Joe Lansdale
• Borrowed from DC Public (audiobook)
• Started: 3/23/2015
• Finished:  3/25/2015 

 
The old saying "you can't go home again" might apply here.  I've read all of the Hap & Leonard books and really enjoyed them, so I thought I'd listen to the audiobook version of the first in the series, Savage Season.  Probably a mistake.  I could barely stand the book this time.  Still some good humor, but I found most of this book really off-putting this time around.  Oh well.

Salvation of a Saint, by Keigo Higashino

Title: Salvation of a Saint
Author: Keigo Higashino
Borrowed from dc public library (audiobook)
Started: 3/16/2015
Finished: 3/22/2015

Another book in the detective Galileo series by my new favorite Japanese crime writer. I liked this one, but not as much as the previous book in this series that was amazing (devotion of suspect x).

Conspirata, by Robert Harris

Title: Conspirata
Author: Robert Harris
Borrowed from DC public (kindle book)
Started: 3/10/2015
Finished: 3/20/2015

Roman Empire-fest continues for me with the second of the Robert Harris trilogy on Cicero. I liked this one quite a bit, even though it took me a while to get through. Looking forward to finishing this series, but taking a short break with yet another book about Spartacus up next.

Death Without Company, by Craig Johnson

Title: Death Without Company
Author: Craig Johnson
Borrowed from Worcester County (MD) public library (audiobook)
Started: 3/11/2015
Finished: 3/15/2015

The second Longmire book. Not nearly as good as the first, but still an enjoyable read. Will take a break from the series for a few books before continuing.

Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson

• Title:  Train Dreams
• Author:  Denis Johnson
• Borrowed from Worcester County (MD) Public Library (Audiobook)
• Started: 3/9/2015
• Finished:  3/10/2015

 
This was a short work, a novella, and took just a couple of hours to read/listen to.  I have to admit I had not heard of Johnson, and it was by title alone that I decided to borrow this one.  Well I'm glad I did, what a wonderful story, powerful, and very different from the usual (crap?) I read.  A short work that will stay with me for quite some time, I'm certain.

Spartacus, by Howard Fast

• Title:  Spartacus
• Author:  Howard Fast
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (Kindle Edition)
• Started: 3/3/2015
• Finished:  3/9/2015

 
My Roman historical fiction fetish continues with Spartacus, by Howard Fast.  As I mentioned in my last post I've had a really good run of books so far in 2015, and Spartacus continues that trend.  I can't get over what a great book this was, despite barely telling the story of Spartacus, his rise, an the battles fought.  The book bounced around between voices, stories, time, and it was just so good.  It is no wonder it was made into a movie not long after it came out, and I like the movie.  But the movie is nothing compared to this extremely readable, enjoyable book.

The Cold Dish, by Craig Johnson

• Title:  The Cold Dish
• Author:  Craig Johnson
• Borrowed from MD Worcester Public Library (AudioBook)
• Started: 3/2/2015
• Finished: 3/8/2015 

 
A quick preface:  Until this entry, all of the audiobooks I've listened to that have been noted on this blog were downloaded through "Overdrive."  This book marks the first "OneClickdigitial" book I've listened to, which is offered by Worcester County public library (they also offer Overdrive).  I had just about given up on finding anything of interest on OneClickdigital, until I noticed they had the Longmire series.
 
I'm a late-comer to the Longmire books, having only discovered the Wyoming sheriff after watching the A&E tv series.  I knew they were based on books, and I liked the TV show, but I wasn't sure I liked it enough to bother with the books.
 
Well as I mentioned in the preface, I wasn't finding much of interest on the OneClickdigital page provided by my library, until I saw they had several Longmire books.  I figured out which was the first in the series (The Cold Dish), download it, and was hooked. 
 
Look, the TV is great and all, but wow, the book?  Incredible.  And much as Michael Prchard is Archie Goodwin (and Nero Wolfe), and Simon Vance is jack Aubrey (and Stephen Maturin), this book was read by George Guidall and by god he is Walt Longmire.  The reading of this book is an incredible performance. 
 
I've had a good run of really enjoyable books in 2015, and this is one of the most enjoyable so far.
 

Imperium, by Robert Harris

• Title: Imperium
• Author:  Robert Harris
• Borrowed from Worcester County MD Public Library (Kindle Book)
• Started: 2/16/2015
• Finished:  3/2/2015 

 
I finally finished the TV series Spartacus recently (my sister calls it "Spartacus:  Porn and More Porn") and it put me in the mood for some fun Roman historical fiction.  I'd been wanting to start the Robert Harris Cicero trilogy and I figured what better place to start than the fall of Spartacus?  Very much enjoyed the book, and as I approached the end I stayed up later than intended this past Sunday night.  Rarely do I let a book allow me to lose sleep on a Sunday night, but this time I did.
 
As it turns out, the second book in the trilogy isn't available for download by my library yet (sorry Mr. Harris, no royalties from me), so I'm reversing course and about to start the Howard Fast novel, Spartacus, on which the Kirk Douglas movie was based.

One Came Home, by Amy Timberlake

• Title:  One Came Home
• Author:  Amy Timberlake
• Borrowed from Worcester County Public Library (Ocean City, MD) -- AudioBook
• Started: 2/26/2015
• Finished: 3/1/2015

 
I don't read many young adult books (this one is recommended for grades 5-8!), but I was desperate for a new book and needed on ASAP, and the description of One Came Home sounded interesting enough.  Sort of a toned down version of "True Grit" and "The Searchers."
 
It was pretty good, story kept me entertained through my workouts.  Ending dragged a bit, especially after the conflict had been resolved.