The Fifth Business, by Robertson Davies

• Title:  The Fifth Business (Book 1 of The Deptford Trilogy)
• Author:  Robertson Davies
• Borrowed from Coworker
• Started: 7/11/2013
• Finished: 7/17/2013

 
A coworker gave me this book a while back, but I had several books lined up so it took me a while to get started.  The volume I have is huge, because it contains all three books that make up The Deptford Trilogy, the book this post is about, The Fifth Business, is book one of that trilogy.
 
This was a very entertaining book, something of a coming of age story, mystery, and a generational drama.  It reminded me a little of a book I read a few years ago, Barney's Version, and not just b/c both are by Canadian authors.  Anyway, thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy, especially b/c the murder mystery appears to have been solved at the end of the first book... will that prove to not be the case as I continue on?

Not Quite Dead Enough, by Rex Stout, also contains the story "Booby Trap

• Title:  Not Quite Dead Enough
• Second Story Title:  Booby Trap
• Author:  Rex Stout
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (audio book)
• Started: 7/14/2013
• Finished: 7/17/2013

 
I had listened to this book before, years ago when I first discovered both these downloadable audio books from the library, as well as the Nero Wolfe series.  My  memory is terrible, so I didn't remember the mystery and knew it would be no trouble to listen to this one again.
 
I enjoyed both stories (both short).  I have read that many people dislike the first (Not Quite Dead Enough) and I can understand that, it is a little rough around the edges.  In particular the narrator, Archie Goodwin, usually so entertaining, is a bit too smug and mysoginistic.  But the mystery is one of the best, it has a great twist at the end which I recount here not to spoil the book for anyone (don't read further if you don't want it spoiled), but so I can remember it later:  the twist is that the initial reports of a murder were false, but the (would-be) murdered overheard that the murder had been committted, and how, and then rush to committ the murder in that fashion.  I'm butchering the twiste here so maybe it wouldn't spoit it for anyone anyhow, but it is enough to jog my memory.
 
The second story, Booby Trap, is much smoother although the mystery is somewhat ridiculous.  Still it it too has a very surprising ending, with Nero Wolfe allowing (commanding?) the murder to commit suicide by hand grenade (I'm not making that up). 

The Far Side of the World, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title:  The Far Side of the World
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Audio Book
• Started: 7/3/2013
• Finished: 7/13/2013

 
These Aubrey/Maturin books (aka Master & Commander) have hit a good stride now, I loved the last one (book 9, Treason's Harbour) which took place mostly on land; now comes The Far Side of the World which takes place mostly on water.  This was a fun, exciting book, and now that I've spend 10 novels with these characters I really feel like I know them.  I've said it before but the guy reading these books, Simon Vance, is amazing.  I really lose myself in these books, and can't believe I'm at the half-way point in the series now.

Dr. No, by Ian Fleming

• Title:  Dr. No
• Author:  Ian Fleming
• Borrowed via Amazon.com Kindle Library
• Started: 07/01/2013
• Finished:  7/10/2013

 
Well so much for the "From Russia With Love" cliff-hanger.  The start of Dr. No sums up very quickly how Bond survived the poisening, pretty lamely I might add.  Still Dr. No was a fun read, much sillier perhaps than the earlier books.  This one reads more like a typical Bond movie (sexy, often nude, girl, evil genius who must explain his entire plan, overly elaborate method to kill Bond, hidden fortress, etc.) but we don't really spend much time with Dr. No, the titular character.

The book has a lot of short comings, but still fun as hell and easy to read.  And while the death of Dr. No is pretty anti-climactic (burried under tons of bird poop), it doesn't matter much b/c Dr. No really isn't an important part of the book.  His empire/fortress/gang is, but Dr. No himself could be removed from the book without much trouble.
 
One final note about the Kindle version -- this is the first time I have had an issue with formatting of a volume that is sold as a Kindle book.  There were several coding issues where you would see "–" (without quotes) instead of a dash ("-").  Or at least I assume it was supposed to be a dash.

The Alienist, by Caleb Carr

• Title:  The Alientist
• Author:  Caleb Carr
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (ebook)
• Started:  6/1/2013
• FInished:  7/2/2013

 
I don't enjoy panning books, and when I first discovered this title I thought it sounded like a fun read.  But my hopes for a good book were quickly dashed, and I struggled to finish the novel (that's why it took me a month for what should have been a quick beach-style read). 

Over My Dead Body, by Rex Stout

• Title:  Over My Dead Body
• Author:  Rex Stout
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (Audio Book)
• Started:  6/24/2013
• Finished:  7/1/2013

 
Quick update just to get this one on the blog, mostly forgettable Nero Wolfe mystery.

From Russia With Love, by Ian Fleming

• Title:  From Russia With Love
• Author:  Ian Fleming
• Borrowed from Amazon.com via Kindle Owner's Library
• Started: 6/20/2013
• Finished:  6/27/2013

 
A cliffhanger!  The damn book ends with a cliffhanger.  Is Bond dead?  What kind of poison was in the sharp point hidden in the shoe?
 
As expected, From Russian With Love did not disappoint.  This was the first Bond book that truely felt like the movies.  There are gadgets (although most of them belong to the Russians), secret rooms and passageways, exotic locals, Bond bangs the beautiful spy, corny humor ("a king is always a king, but once a knight is enough"), and Bond's not as dark or tough as earlier novels.  He lets his guard down, a lot, and doesn't put queen & country before the girl.
 
This was a fun, exciting book.  I can't imagine reading this when it first came out and having to wait for the next book to see what happens.  Lucklily I only have to wait a few days for July 1st, when I can again borrow a book from the Kindle Owner's Library to pick up the next book, Dr. No.

The Witches, by Roald Dahl

• Title:  The Witches
• Author:  Roald Dahl
• Borrowed from Take-One/Leave-One Library found in Northside Park, Ocean City, MD
• Started:  6/22/2013
• Finished:  6/24/2013

 
Prepare to feel a little quesy.  My wife and I are in love.  We've been in love for a long time, we continue to be in love, and we tend to make people sick with our lovey-ness and displays of cuteness and affection.  We've been together for a little over 11 years, and this past weeked is the first time we've ever read a novel to each other out loud.  It was cute, wonderful, and if you are not my wife or I, probably a bit sickening.
 
I have never read a Dahl novel before.  I've wanted to read Charlie & the Chocolate Factory but never seem to come across it.  I had never heard of this book (The Witches), but my wife had read it as a kid and thought it might be fun.
 
We found the novel in a cute, take-one/leave-one library in Ocean City, MD's Northside Park.  In the park there is a memorial garden to a young boy (Sam) who drowned years back at the park.  This year someone added this book library to the front of the memorial garden (Sam's Place), it is the size of a really large bird feeder, on a post (like a mailbox).  Probably holds 20 normal sized books.
 
The Witches was in this box, so we took it this past Saturday and later that day while laying on the couch as the beach my wife (much to my surprise) started reading the book to me.  We took turns with the chapters and got about a quarter of the way through the short book.
 
On the long drive back to DC from Ocean City the next day, my wife continued where we had left off in the book and made it most of the way through the novel.  We finished up the last chapters Monday night. 
 
This was a funny, charming, somewhat dark in places book.  I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience associated with this book.

Diamonds are Forever, by Iam Fleming

• Title:  Diamonds are Forever
• Author:  Ian Fleming
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  6/16/2013
• Finished:  6/20/2013

 
The fourth of the Bond novels, this is one I had read before and liked, although less so this time.  Still a fun, easy read, but the novelty of it was somewhat lessened as I read them in order.  In the middle of From Russia with Love, which I've never read, and it so far is proving to be most-enjoyable.

Death of a Doxy, by Rex Stout

• Title:  Death of a Doxy
• Author:  Rex Stout
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (MP3 Audiobook)
• Started:  6/17/2013
• Finished:  6/21/2013

 
Another Nero Wolfe book, this one was published in the 60s I think.  The mystery is pretty weak, actually solved just over half way through the book.  But as usual, it's really not about the mystery but about Wolfe's sidekick Archie Goodwin, and his interaction with the various characters. 
 
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, these books are perfect for my morning routine.  A couple of hours of excercise and morning stretching, the company of characters whom I enjoy, but don't have to devote all of my attention towards. 

Zone One, by Colson Whitehead

• Title:  Zone One
• Author:  Colson Whitehead
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (Kindle Book)
• Started: 5/28/2013
• Finished:  6/10/2013

 
This book was advertised as a "literary" zombie book, I was looking for something to read on a trip.  Started out pretty strong, but I generally lost interest and had zoned out (no pun intended) by the time the book came to an end. 

Treason's Harbour, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title:  Treason's Harbour
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (audio-book)
• Started:  6/3/2013
• Finished:  6/12/2013

 
Treason's Harbour may be my favorite so far of these Aubrey/Maturin (aka Master & Commander) books.  Although much of the action takes place on land, and I usually prefer when they're at sea, there was just something about this book that kept we wanting to listen (audio book, not print book) to it as much as possible.
 
Usually I only listen to books while I workout in the morning, giving me a total of about 1.5 hours when you include stretching.  But with Treason's Harbour, I would put the book on over dinner, while relaxing, etc.  This was a great book, and I'm really looking forward to the next one (far side of the world) b/c I've heard it is a fan favorite.
 
 

Murder by the Book, by Rex Stout

• Title:  Murder by the Book
• Author:  Rex Stout
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (Audiobook)
• Started:  5/13/2013
• Finished:  5/29/2013

 
This is one of the Nero Wolfe books, I'm not sure I've ever actually read one of these but they sure are entertaining to listen to.  After my mishap with the last book I tried to listen to (see my entry on The Ionian Mission) I made sure I could finish this one before the time expired.  It was easier b/c the book was much shorter, something around 7 hours, so 3 weeks was plenty of time to complete it.
 
The mystery was good, although there is a bit of a let down at the end when you're about to find out how Wolfe got past the killers alibi, the police instpector suddenly jumps in to arrest the guy and shut him up.  THe book then ends with a guilty jury verdict, I guess Stout didn't have a good alibi breaker in mind and went for the old deus ex machina. 
 
Still, I listen to these books for the wit & entertainment of the narrator Archie Goodwin, and not for the brilliance of the mysteries.  This book didn't disappoint on what I enjoy this most.

The Ionian Mission, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title:  The Ionian Mission
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed From DC Public Library (audio book and hardcopy book)
• Started:  April 30th, 2013
• Finished: May 27th, 2013

 
The Ionian Mission is Book 8 of the Aubrey/Maturin (Master & Commander) book series.  I've found I am able to enjoy these books much more by listening to them (they are expertly read by Simon Vance in the edition published by Blackstone Audio).  The problem I run into is that the audio books run long, this one was more than 11 hours, but the check-out time for audio books is just 21 days.  I know that sounds like plenty of time, but I don't have a drive/commute to the office, I live just a few blocks away.  So I listen to audio books while exercising, and only then when I do it indoors (3 days a week).  So I can get through 3 hours at the most each week, which means the borrowing period runs out before I finish.
 
This is the first time I can remember having to complete an audio book by reading the rest in print, but that's exactly what I did.  I made it about 2/3 of the way through the audio book when my checkout period ended.  I then borrowed the print edition and finished it that way.  I can tell you I didn't enjoy reading it nearly as much as I enjoyed listening to it.  The characters, voices, pronunciation, nuance... it's just much stronger for me on these Aubrey/Maturin books when read to me.  That sounds weak, but it is the truth. 
 
Some books I do not like to listen to but much prefer to read, hardboiled mysteries being one (everyone tries to immitate Humphrey Bogart).  But I think I may exclusively listen to these O'Brian novels from now on.

Dead Aim, by Joe Lansdale

• Title:  Dead Aim
• Author:  Joe R Lansdale
• Purchased E-Book via Amazon.com
• Started:  5/18/2013
• Finished 5/20/2013

 
I've mentioned before how much I enjoy Lansdale's early (core) Hap & Leonard novels, just great buddy detective fiction.  The back & forth dialog, humor, wit, it's all very entertaining.  But as I've also mentioned over the last several novels (this one more of a novela) Lansdale has really gone on autopilot with these books.  Dead Aim is no exception.
 
I still read them and get some enjoyment out of them, they're comforting and reliable.  But if I had never read any Hap or Leonard novels, and happened upon this one first, I'd never read another.  Which is a shame, because those early novels were magic.

Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Title:  Kidnapped
• Author:  Robert Louis Stevenson
• Audio MP3 borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  4/1/2013
• Finished:  5/13/2013

 
I haven't listed to an audio book since the middle of last year, best as I can recall.  But my aging dog means we don't take long runs every morning any longer, instead my dog gets walks three days a week and then jogs two days.  So on the days where we just walk, I get up and exercise first.  Most days consist of 35 or so minutes on an elliptical, then some light weights. 
 
When I run outside, I don't like any music or distractions.  I live in a beautiful city with plenty of fun sights for my pup and I.  But when I'm on the elliptical (or treadmill), using the dip bar, or pressing dumpbells, I need a distraction and prefer to listen to books rather than music.
 
Kidnapped was the first book I listened to with this new routine.  I had wanted to continue with the Master & Commander series, but the next book I was to read/listen to there wasn't yet available (it is now, up next for audio).  Kidnapped was about 7 hours long, so it took a while to get through when you consider I only listened to 45-60 minutes of the book, three days a week.  But I finished it this morning and did enjoy it.  A good "boys adventure" that I thoroughly enjoyed.  And the Blackstone audio (publisher of many of the audio books I end up listening to) presentations are just so well done.  Really enjoy books this way, when I can't read them myself.

Moonraker, by Ian Fleming

• Title: Moonraker
• Author:  Iam Fleming
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started: 5/10/2013
• Finished:  5/12/2013

 
This was the second time I had read Moonraker, but honestly I barely remembered the plot, which was fine by me, as I enjoyed it again just as much as the first time.  Up next is another I think I've already read, Diamonds are Forever.

Live and Let Die, by Ian Fleming

• Title:  Live and Let Die
• Author:  Ian Fleming
• Borrowed from Amazon.com Kindle Lending Library
• Started 5/4/2013
• Finished 5/9/2013

 
The most startling thing to me about Live and Let Die (2nd Bond book) was how closely the plot matched that of the movie version.  Startling, because the other bond books I had read years ago (The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, etc.) had no connection to their movie version whatsoever, titled excepted.
 
But Live and Let Die was a great book (and a great movie, I am one of those who actually enjoys the Roger Moore Bond), lots of covert action, charismatic bad guy, beautiful women, lots of booze, fast cars.
 
Fleming doesn't treat the US very well (NYC and St Pete, FL), he doesn't have much good to say about either spot.  But I can look past that, perhaps b/c the Bond is the books is such a colossally selfish jackass (seriously, the cartoon Archer just about nailed the full of himself Bond caricature) that his opinion isn't always the last word.
 
Don't let the above make you think I'm not totally enamored of Bond (or hell, Archer for that matter).  The fit super-spy, decked out in a perfectly cut suit, booze, women, fast cars, action.  It's an amazing world that's been created in these books (and movies, cartoons).  But I still understand that if somehow, Bond existed, I'd find him insufferable in person.
 
Up next is the 3rd Bond book Moonraker.  I've already read it, but as I mentioned in an earlier post I'm reading all the Bond books in order, even those that will be a re-read.

Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories, by Ian Fleming

• Title:  Quantum of Solace:  The Complete Jame Bond Short Stories
• Author:  Ian Fleming
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started: 5/1/2013
• Finished: 5/3/2013 

 
Well so much for reading the Bond stories in order, but in my defense it would be hard to say where each story belonged in the series.  So while I was waiting for the second Bond book to come available, I picked up this set of stories from the public library.  They were all good, quick reads.  Some were much more of a spy story than others, the least like a spy story was the titular Quantum of Solace, but it was all the more fun to read b/c of how surprising that story turned out.  A thoroughly enjoyable read, if extremely short.
 
The rest of the series (the novels) will be read in order.

The Case of the Buried Clock, by Erle Stanley Gardner

• TItle:  The Case of the Buried Clock
• Author:  Erle Stanley Gardner
• Borrowed from colleague at work
• Started:  4/13/2013
• FInished:  4/29/2012

 
My first Perry Mason book.  A coworker brought this in and suggested I might like it, she was right.  Not the best mystery or legal drama, but that doesn't matter.  Perry Mason, in this WW2 era thriller is great.  Easy to understand why these were adapted to TV and became such a hit.  I doubt if I'll seek these books out, but if I stumble upon some at used book stores I will definitely pick them up.

Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming

• Title:  Casino Royale
• Author:  Ian Fleming
• Borrowed from Amazon.com (via Kindle Lending Library)
• Started:  4/7/2013
• Finished:  4/111/2013

 
Over the years I've read 3 or 4 of the Bond books, but they were just random finds at the library or a book store.  So when I noticed Amazon now has the Bond books available for free through their Kindle lending library (you are limited to just one book a month though) I figured I would read them all in order.
 
I knew, from the earlier Bond books, that this was not the Bond of the movies but rather a darker, more introspective Bond.  Well those earlier books were just that, and so was Casino Royale.  But the Bond in CR was also such a pompus jerk (maybe that's why I like him so much). 
 
Seriously, check out this passage of Bond ordering his signature drink (not the one you're expecting):
 

"A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."

"Oui, monsieur."

"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.

Bond laughed. "When I'm...er...concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."

(from this Wikipedia entry)

Imagine going to a bar on the old Vegas strip today and trying that (in the book, the Casino Royale is a past-its-prime spot) and telling the bartender how to make a jumbo martini.  You'd be lucky not to get an extra 2 parts saliva in your drink.
 
CR was a fun book, a good intro to Bond and the combo of luck and skill he has as a spy.  I'm going to persevere and read them all, in order, with the aid of the local library so I'm not stuck reading just one book a month.

One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich

• Title:  One for the Money
• Author:  Janet Evanovich
• Borrowed from Office Take One Leave One Library
• Started:  March 20, 2013
• Finished:  March 30, 2013

 
A coworker is a big fan of this Plum series and brings in the books to our office take one leave one library.  I picked this one up on his recommendation, but wasn't a huge fan.  The book wasn't bad, but I just couldn't get into the characters and really kept reading just so I could see how much was changed from the recent movie based on this book.  I won't be bothering with the rest of the series.

Poirot Investigates, byt Agatha Christie

• Title:  Poirot Investigates
• Author:  Agatha Christie
• Purchased from Amazon.com (Kindle edition)
• Started:  Summer 2012
• Finished:  March 10, 2013

 
My started/ended up there is a little embarrassing, but it is true I've been reading this off and on since last Summer.  This is a volume filled with Poirot short stories, so I would read one between other books, or at bedtime, etc.

But the bottom line is I haven't been reading much at all.  Well not novels, anyway.  Lots of newspapers and magazines, but very few books (none for months).  I've been in a funk lately, but hoping I'm getting past it now and can move on to more reading and less tv/movies/video games. 
 
This collection of stories was fantastic, I knew many of them by the TV show of Poirot (see "too much TV," above) and it was interesting to see how they differed.  A great set of stories, could certainly see myself reading more of the Poirot novels. 

A High Wind in Jamaica, by Richard Hughes

• Title: A High Wind in Jamaica
• Author:  Richard Hughes
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  12/15/2012
• Finished:  12/25/2012

 
Picked this one up after reading a quick interview with Herman Wouk (of Caine Mutiny fame) asking for his favorite sea-faring novels.  This book, A High Wind in Jamaica, was one of those books he listed.
 
I loved the Caine Mutiny, so that was recommendation enough for me.  AHWiJ was very enjoyable, the book has a very dream-like (or childlike?) quality.  Wouk compared it to Lord of the Flies, and I can see why, but I don't quite agree with that comparison.  None-the-less I'm glad for the recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed this novel, the last I read in 2012.

Untouchable, by Scott O'Connor

• Title:  Untouchable
• Author:  Scott O'Connor
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  11/25/2012
• Finish:  12/10/2012

In my last post I mentioned wanting to read more scary novels.  This was not something I found based on that search, nor is this a horror novel.  But it is a tough read; scary & disturbing in its own way, and you could almost call it a ghost story.

Not at all what I expected, thinking the novel would focus on the job of those who clean up sites after horrific events (murders, suicides, etc.).  The novel very quickly pushes that to the side, however, and it turns out the protagonist is a young boy (middle school) who is one of the class pariahs (one of the meanings of "untouchable" in the novel, these are the kids who get teased mercilessly in school "don't touch them you don't know what you'll catch").

The bullying and teasing is almost too much for the reader to handle.  Was O'Connor the subject of such taunting as a child?  I hope not, but if so he's put those feeling to good use.  I don't know how anyone could read those passages of bullying and not empathize with "the kid" as he's called throughout the novel.  Getting to know the kid, listening to his thoughts, blaming himself for being the outcast (at one point we find out that the other kids accuse him of having horrible breath, and the kid has been brushing and rinsing multiple times a session to combat that thinking it's true; he also wonders if that is why his mom left, because he smells).

I'm not doing the book or it's protagonist justice.  The grief, fear, and depression in this novel is sometimes too much to bear.  But it is just so compelling you keep going, you have to know that the kid will be alright.  Will he?  I don't know, even after finishing it, but I want to believe he will be.  The biggest issues might be resolved at the end, but not all of it. 

I didn't love the ending, but I don't know what else the author could have done here.  My problem with it is mostly that the two main characters both come to terms with their situation at the exact same time, independent of each other.  But it's a small point on an otherwise incredible book.  

The Missing, by Sarah Langan

• Title:  The Missing
• Author: Sarah Langan
• Borrowed From DC Public (Kindle Edition)
• Started: 10/30/2012
• Finished:  11/20/2012

I've always been a big wimp when it comes to scary movies.  The anxiety I feel when the scene, music, and tension combine is usually too much for me.  While these movies scare the crap out of me and often make it hard for me to move around the house alone in the dark, I'm also drawn to them.  The effect of Blair Witch, when I saw it in a tiny theater in Dupont Circle back when it came out, is something I'll never forget.  I was captivated and terrified, thinking about it all night (while I wasn't sleeping) and trying to piece together what I thought was the meaning.

But Blair Witch might be the last really scary movie I saw in the theater.  My wife (girlfriend at the time) want to see The Ring when it was in the theaters, so we did.  I was scared (very scared) during the movie.  But once it was over the idiotic nature of the plot (and plot holes) took away any  residual fear immediately.  I think The Ring was the last scary movie I saw in a theater, even for the crap movies I need more control over the setting and length of tension.  Maybe it's not how the filmmakers intended us to watch movies, but if I need to pause it and take a 15 minute (or 36 hour) break from the film, so be it.

Around Halloween this year I decided I'd had enough of an embargo on horror movies (not gore-porn, no interest in those) and filled my netflix queue with various film of the found-footage, haunted house, zombie & post-apocalyptic, general scary genres.  And I started plowing through them (mostly in the daylight, I admit).  Some good (a couple great, I can't speak highly enough of Lake Mungo), most ok, a few horrible films.  I'm tempted to list them all off but I guess I can always go back to netflix and see all the films I've watched, so not worthwhile.

Good (great), bad, or so-so, I still get scared during the movies, and often think about them for days (while reading message boards on IMDB to see if others agree with me). 

Since I was pushing myself to finally watch scary movies, I figured I should do the same with books.  Not that I was as big a chicken about books, I've read the classics and as a teen most of what King and the like had published up through the early 1990s.  But I feel away from that as I went through my literature degree, and then feel in with hard-boiled detectives, and eventually to where I am now (where am I now?).  

Figuring I should change my reading habits to include more scary books, I went to the web to find recommendations for good scary books, and this was one of  the options.  Kind of a zombie book, not very scary, but enjoyable.  I was only reading short bits just before bed so it took me a really long time to get through it, but not b/c it was scary.  It was interesting and I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for and certainly not one I was thinking about weeks after or looking for message boards to see what others were saying.

So there you have it, 5 paragraphs about my fear of horror movies, and one about the book I'm "reviewing."  Good thing no one reads this (or pays to, if they stumble upon it).

The Surgeon's Mate, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title: The Surgeon's Mate
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  10/1/2012
• Finished:  10/25/2012

 
This is the 7th book in the "Master & Commander" series (aka Aubrey/Maturin), probably my least favorite so far.  But I am enjoying the series overall so no real complaints.  But you can see that I took almost a full month to read this when I could have polished it off in a weekend had I been really into it.

Cadaver In Chief, by Steven Hockensmith

• Title:  Cadaver In Cheif
• Author:  Steve Hockensmith
• Purchased from Amazon.com (Kindle Edition)
• Started: 9/20/2012
• Finished: 9/27/2012

 
The author of this book writes a Western/Sherlock Holmes series (Holmes on the Range) that I enjoy, and he (the author) is also big on social media and trying to get the word out about his books.  This book was one that he offered for free for a short time, in a effort to boost its Amazon rating in the hopes that more people would see it and buy it.  I grabbed it during that free period and gave it a go, my first non Holmes on the Range piece I had read by Hockensmith. 
 
It pains me to say it, but it wasn't a very good book.  I like zombie movies, haven't really read any zombie books, but the overall idea here was pretty good.  In fact it was worth reading for one new (new to me) zombi plague idea:  The remaining humans (all armed) constantly saying "hello" to people they pass to avoid being killed on the spot.  What an elegantly simple solution to such a problem, that would be fun to see shown in a movie.
 
Anyway that one idea aside (although I thought it was a great idea) the book is pretty terrible.  I wish that wasn't the case.

The Fortune of War, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title:  The Fortune of War
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started: 8/13/2012
• Finished: 8/14/2012

The started & finished dates above are approximate.  I did read this one quickly, but not over 2 days.  I left this one out of my other updates (I waited too long to post new books I'd read) and I can't remember the exact dates.  So the dates for this book and the previous 3 (through The Last Child, I believe) are approximate.

Anyway I enjoyed this one immensely, the start of the war of 1812, almost the entire book takes place in America, and a good start/finish of naval battles to book end the rest of the plot.  

The Other Log of Phileas Fog

• Title:  The Other Log of Phileas Fog
• Author:  Philip Jose Farmer
• Purchased for Kindle from Amazon.com
• Started: 8/26/2012
• Finished: 9/4/2012

As I mentioned in the last update on Around the World in 80 Days, I heard about this one somewhere (online, no doubt) and wanted to give it a try.  But first I had to read ATWI80D.  Immediately after finishing ATWI80D, I started on this one.  It didn't grab me initially, but I got into it more & more as I moved through the book.  It's a very fun companion to ATWI80D, answering some of the questions the reader of that book may have about the Fog & his companions.  Reading these books one after the other was great, very happy with both books.

Around the World In Eighty Day, by Jules Verne

• Title:  Around the World in Eighty Days
• Author:  Julies Verne
• Borrowed From DC Public Library (E-Book)
• Started: 8/15/2012
• Finished: 8/25/2012

Another classic I really should have read a long time ago, I read this one mostly b/c I wanted to read "The Other Log of Phileas Fog" and figured I should read ATWI80D first.  I'm glad I did, not only because ATWI80D was fantastic, but also because TOLOPF would not have been very entertaining without reading this one first.

The Last Child, by John Hart

• Title:  The Last Child
• Author:  John Hart
• Given to me by my mother
• Started:  8/6/2012
• Finished: 8/12/2012

While down in Florida for a funeral, staying with my mother, she gave me this book and told me she really enjoyed it.  It wasn't my favorite, a few too many coincidences for my tastes.  However I was intrigued by the plot, fast moving and fun, and it kept me reading a chapter or so night after night.  Mostly forgettable, it did pass the time nicely.  

The Murder of Rogery Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie

• Title:  The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
• Author:  Agatha Christie
• Purchased from Amazon.com (Kindle Edition)
• Started:  7/27/2012
• Finished:  8/4/2012

 
I really wanted to ready the Poirot books in order, but I only made it through the first book and then one short story before jumping ahead to this one, The Murder of Rogery Ackroyd.  My online research of Poirot had already noted that this was the book that made Christie famous, due to the twist at the end.  I didn't know what the twist was, but almost as soon as I began reading I figured it out.
 
But that doesn't matter, it didn't ruin the book at all, instead it had me searching for clues to back up my hypothisis as I read.  And they're all over the place, I can only imagine what it was like in the 20s & 30s when folks first read this, then re-read it to catch those same clues they missed the first time around.  Exactly what I would have been going had I not read online that there was a major twist at the end.
 
Very entertaining book.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1st Poirot Book), by Agatha Christie

• Title:  The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1st Poirot Book)
• Author:  Agatha Christie
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started: 7/20/2012
• Finished: 7/23/2012

 
My wife and I have been watching Poirot on Netflix for a while now and really enjoying the show.  I figured I should give the books a shot since I like mysteries and I'm probably missing some of the nuance by only seeing televised versions.  Well this is just one book, but I'll be damned if it isn't identicall to the David Suchet TV version.  I mean of course there are some differences, but at least in this case those are very minor.  The tv version of this novel was almost identical to what was in the book.
 
I'm going to read through several other Poirot novels as I enjoyed this very much, but I might wait until I've forgotten the plots of the TV series.

Edge of Dark Water, by Joe Lansdale

• Title:  Edge of Dark Water
• Author:  Joe R Lansdale
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  7/18/2012
• Finished: 7/20/2012

 
Another of the non-Hap & Leondard books, this one was a fun Texas-Gothic read like most of Lansdale's books.  Fun and easy to read, all the characters are pretty black & white (strong or weak, good or bad, etc) like most of his books.  But it works, no complaints here.

Desolation Island, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title: Desolation Island (5th in the Aubrey/Maturin books)
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started: 6/30/2012
• Finished: 7/17/2012

 
Another of the Aubrey/Maturin books, I had a harder time getting into this one but overall did enjoy it.  I think I'm going to take a short break and read some new material, but will definitely continue with the servies for a while.  Maybe now just 2 or 3 of these books each year, inbetween other reads.

A Princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

• Title:  A Princess of Mars
• Author:  Edgar Rice Burroughs
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (e-book)
• Started: June 13th, 2012
• Finished: June 18th, 2012

 
Another ERB book, this is the first of the "John Carter" series.  I liked it, but not as much as Tarzan. Still an easy to read adventure story with some good entertaining moments.  I'm curious now to see the recent Disney movie based on this series which did terribly at the box office.  I suspect I'll like it more than I would have, now that I've read the first book and I'm familiar with the premise and characters.

The Mauritius Command, by Patrick O'Brian

• Title:  The Mauritius Command (4th in the Aubrey/Maturin books)
• Author:  Patrick O'Brian
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started: 6/8/2012
• Finished: 6/12/2012

The first of this series I read in book form as opposed to listening to it as an audio book.  I'm not sure I could have enjoyed this series had I not listened to the first few.  It sounds strange, but the nautical terms are strange enough, and the personalities difficult enough, that it really helped to have listened to the first few "performed" to get the feel and understanding for these.  They take much longer to listed to than to read, but the audio books are really well done.  Having a few behind me made it much easier, and much more enjoyable to read this fourth book in the series.

Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Title:  Treasure Island
• Author:  Robert Louis Stevenson
• Audio Book from DC Public Library
• Started: 6/6/2012
• Finished: 6/7/2012

Playing catch-up with books I should have read decades ago, and I know I've at least read parts of this one as a kid.  But I can tell you I never read the whole thing, or even much of it, although I might have been assigned to do so in school.

Well again it was my loss, as much fun as the disney movie may be this book was better.  A fun adventure story I can imagine all of the fun backyard play this must have inspired in boys around the world over the years.  Makes me want to get on a schooner and search for buried treasure myself.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Title:  The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
• Author:  Robert Louis Stevenson
• Audio Book from DC Public Library
• Started: 6/5/2012
• Finished: 6/5/2012

I'd always wanted to read this one which is probably more of a novella or short story than a full on novel.  I didn't love it like I thought I would, still it was a solid, fun read and I can certainly see it having a big impact back when it was published.  Glad I have finally caught up with this one.

Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

• Title:  Tarzan of the Apes
• Author:  Edgar Rice Burroughs
• Audio Book from DC Public Library
• Started:  6/3/2012
• Finished: 6/4/2012

This is an example of a book I guess I always knew was a book, but I was so accustomed to the TV shows & movies that I never gave reading the original much thought.  My loss, as this was an excellent story and you can see why Tarzan became so popular.  A very fun adventure story, with all the dangers and wonders you'd expect.  I suspect I'll read several more of these, as well as other Burroughs stories over the next few years.  Can't believe I'd never read this one until now.

Overdue Update: Several Books in Spring of 2012

I'd prefer to give each of these their own post, but I'm too lazy and I've put this off for too long.  At least these will be discoverable via a search of the site, even if they won't get their own post.

• Devil Red, by Joe Lansdale
• Hyenas, by Joe Lansdale
• Bullets & Fire (aka Bullets And Fire), by Joe Lansdale
• Tight Little Stiches in a Dead Man's Back, by Joe Lansdale
• The Black Echo, by Michael Connelly
• The Black Ice, by Michael Connelly
• Master & Commander (aka Master And Commander), by Patrick O'Brian
• Post Captain, by Patrick O'Brian
• HMS Surprise, by Patrick O'Brian
• Watership Down, by Richard Adams

All of the above, with the exception of the O'Brian books & Watership Down, were books read on my Kindle.  The O'Brian books & Watershipd Down were all audio books.  I suspect I will get through many more of the O'Brian books, I'm enjoying those quite a bit.  I'm not sure I'd enjoy them as much reading them, I find the narration (which I believe is read by Simon Vance) to be very engrossing.  The different tons and accents for each character, the dramatic pauses and other verbal changes based on the scene have helped me pass numerous hours at home doing otherwise boring chores.

I really should have given Watership Down its own post.  Of all the books above that was by far my favorite, one I really should have read as a teenager (stupid FLA public school education).  It was exciting, heart breaking, and wonderful.  I also watched the movie version a few weeks after reading the book and while it was entertaining enough it was nothing compared to the books.

The Hunger Games Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins

• Title:  The Hunger Games Trilogy
• Author:  Suzanne Collins
• Borrowed from my sister, she had the Kindle ebook edition
• Started:  3/2/2012
• Finished:  3/5/2012

I didn't know much about these books, but my sister recommended (and offered the loan for free) this series and when I saw that it was sort of a post-apocalyptic theme, well I jumped at it.

I really enjoyed the first book, it was a fun, easy read with a great premise.  The second book was good as well, not as good as the first but still very entertaining.  The third book I didn't love, but it did tie everything up neatly and really to have read three books in as many days?  Can't complain about wasted time.

The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan

• Title:  The Last Werewolf
• Author:  Glen Duncan
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (Kindle eBook borrowing via OverDrive)
• Started:  2/27/2012
• Finished:  3/1/2012

My second ebook, this time borrowed from my public library using the OverDrive software they provide, which allows you to retrieve Kindle books.  This was a great book and really solidified the Kindle as a legitimate book alternative.  I still prefer a book in print, but this is a pretty good compromise and I can see the writing on the wall.  This is the way the printed word is heading.

Anyway, back to the book.  Horror/monster books are not my favorite genre, but if you've heard anything about this book you know that this book really spans several genres, mostly a thriller.  I hated putting this one down and wanted to hear more from the narrator.  That's the sign of a good book.

Dead In The West, by Joe R Lansdale

• Title:  Dead In The West
• Author:  Joe R Lansdale
• Purchased from Amazon (ebook)
• Started:  Way back
• Finished:  2/26/2012

This is a book I had been wanting to read in comic (I mean graphic novel) form for quite some time.  But at 99 cents as an eBook on Amazon which I could read on my iPhone's Kindle app, I decided to at least read the novel.  I like Lansdale's books in general and this was no exception.  Lots of noble men with flaws, herioc acts, true love, and dark humor.  Of course just about everyone dies at the end (first zombified, then dead-dead), but still it was a good read.

Took me a long time to get through it though.  Kindle app is great, but reading a novel on the tiny iPhone screen is miserable.  A few weeks back I bought a real Kindle though, the fire, as I wanted a bigger screen for Netflix, Amazon video, and eBooks.  The $200 price tage was cheap enough to make me get it, even if it wasn't perfect.  No complaints here, $200 well spent.

Department of Dead Ends: 14 Detective Stories, by Roy Vickers

• Title:  Department of Dead Ends:  14 Detective Stories
• Author:  Roy Vickers
• Received from Paperback Swap
• Started: 2/3/2012
• Finished: 2/14/2012

 
I've been waiting to get this one for months, maybe a year.  I'd heard about it from either a newspaper, or maybe the magazine The Week, or possibly even an online discussion group.  I can't remember, but those are usually the places I hear about some slightly more obsure books that sound interesting.  This one was really entertaining, so called "inverted" detective stories where you see or have the crime as it happened described to you (similar to a Columbo episode), find out why Scotland Yard couldn't solve it, and then months or so later it ends up at the Department of Dead Ends.  It's from this department that dumb luck (often from another case) leads to clues that solve the original mystery.
 
These stories were short and really fun to read.  I only wish there were more than 14 of them in the rather short collection.

Walking Shadow, by Robert Parker

• Title:  Walking Shadow
• Author:  Robert Parker
• Borrowed from Office Take-one/Leave-one Library
• Started:  1/20/2012
• Finished:  2/3/2012

 
Another Spenser book, nothing great but it passed the time. Another guy in my office loves these Spenser books and is always dropping them off at our take-one/leave-one library shelf.  I brought this one out to the beach and read it over a few weekends there.  Entertaining, but forgettable.

Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson

• Title:  Snow Crash
• Author:  Neal Stephenson
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  10/28/2011
• Finished:  10/31/2011

 
Another one of those books I'd been hearing about for such a long time but never bothered to pick up, well I finally did bother a few weeks ago.  The book is funny and interesting enough to have kept me occupied on a 2 hour flight down to Orlando and back, but I wasn't totally hooked.  I think this is a book that would have appealed to me a lot more in my late teens to early 20s, the end of high school first few years of college time.  But now it was an ok read that I'll probably never think about again.

Replay, by Ken Grimwood

• Title:  Replay
• Author:  Ken Grimwood
• Borrowed from DC Public Library
• Started:  10/1/2011
• Finished:  10/22/2011

 
This recommendation came from the magazine, The Week.  In that magazine they have a page where they ask an author for a handful of their favorite books, usually with some theme or topic.  I don't know which author it was, but Replay was one of the books he listed as his favorites on the chosen topic.  It sounded fun so I picked it up, then I had trouble putting it down. 
 
This was a really fun book, sort of a life-long groundhog day and even that's not a very good or fair description.  It was a very entertaining read that I only allowed myself to look at over the weekends, or I knew I'd be up late week nights trying to finish.  I'd never heard of Grimwood but will almost certainly pick up some of his other books to see if I like them as much as Replay.

Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse, by James L. Swanson

• Title:  Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse

• Author:  James L. Swanson
• Purchased at Fox News store in Dulles Airport
• Started:  8/21/2011
• Finished:  9/3/2011

 
My wife and I both read and loved Swanson's earlier work Manhunt: The 12 day chase for Lincoln's Killer, so when I saw this follow up book I knew I'd found the perfect book to read while relaxing in Iceland.  Unfortunately Bloody Crimes is no Manhunt.  Although the "chase" for Jefferson Davis is the lead in the title, the book is really barely about Jefferson Davis, and what is there is again barely related to any chase.  I suppose a book titled "the accidental stumbling upon of Jefferson Davis" wouldn't have had the same ring to it...  All in all the book is really about Lincoln's funeral train.  A topic that I did not find very fascinating, and that based on this book probably deserved a magazine article sized write up, maybe Vanity Fair, and not an entire novel-length work.
 
I had to force myself to finish this book on the latter part of my vacation in Ocean City, MD, while laying on the beach.  I got through it, but just barely, which is probably the same review I'd have written for any book picked up at an airport newsstand.