Review

The Killing Way

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The Killing Way

The Killing Way

By Tony Hays

A Tom Doherty Associates Book

ISBN: 978-0-7653-1945-6

4.5 stars

CSI meet Arthur; Arthur meet CSI. The Killing Way is a murder mystery set to Arthurian legend mixed with modern ideas of investigation techniques.

At Castellum Arturius, shortly before Arthur is to be elected ruler of Britain, a murder is committed putting Arthur in an awkward position when Merlin is accused of the crime. Arthur turns to Malgywn to investigate. A former soldier, the one armed Malgywn is not fond of Arthur. He would have preferred to die fighting the Saxons who had taken his wife’s life but all they got from him was his arm. He hates Arthur for rescuing him when death was all he craved. Malgywn, now a drunk who prefers to spend his time whoring and waiting for an early death, is not thrilled with the investigator role Arthur assigns him but has no choice. When he finds out that his dead wife’s sister, Eleonore, was the one found murdered, the case takes on a personal tone for him.

With his leadership role at stake, Arthur is in a hurry to have the murder solved but Malgywn tells him at the start that he’ll take as long as he needs to finish his investigation and won’t be swayed when it comes to the guilty. Although he doesn’t believe Merlin capable of murder, he keeps going back to him letting Arthur know things won’t be as clean and easy as he wants them to be. When a second woman shows up dead and a suspect goes missing, Malgywn gets pulled deeper into a world he tried for many years to fade out of.

The story moves fast and so does the investigation giving readers a look at the political landscape and the battles Arthur faces as the new leader of Britain. I liked the character of Malgywn, he’s gruff, mean-spirited, but fair. He also turns out to be kinder than one imagines; an old farmer, widower, and soldier who cares more than he wants to admit or believe. He doesn’t think he has much to gain but knows that Arthur has a lot to lose. In the end, he only wants to find the truth knowing he can’t let down either Eleonore or the memory of his wife.

It’s a short book, 264 pages only, and moves incredibly fast. It’s entertaining and the mystery takes a few turns before all is revealed in the end although for hard-core mystery readers, you’ll probably figure things out fairly quickly. I don’t read many mysteries but I did enjoy this one and the setting which was a nice change from the rather Sherlock Holmesy feel I get with most mysteries.

Haunting Bombay

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Haunting Bombay

Haunting Bombay

Haunting Bombay

By Shilpa Agarwal

Soho Press, Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-56947-558-4

3 stars

Pinky Mittal is being raised by her grandmother after her mother’s death when she was just a baby. Her life in the large bungalow in one of Bombay’s most desirable neighborhoods in anything but happy. Her grandmother treats her kindly and the two have a loving relationship but her extended family is another matter. Her uncle is an alcoholic, her aunt makes her feel unwanted at every opportunity, the servants don’t treat her badly but don’t seem to care much for her, and her three cousins, all boys, are, well, boys.

One night, after humiliating herself in front of one of her cousins, Nimish who she secretly loves, she does something that throws the whole house into chaos. Pinky unlocks a bathroom door that is bolted each night unknowingly releasing a ghost that has remained dormant and hidden for years. When the monsoon season arrives, the ghost uses the water to escape and torments the family fully intending to take revenge for the years of being ignored and shut away.

I had trouble getting into this book. I wanted to like the characters but couldn’t become attached. The family is dysfunctional but not any worse than one would expect with their history. It’s easy to see why Pinky’s aunt would be hostile towards her and why her uncle would be drowning himself in alcohol. I thought the ghost idea was a nice way to showcase the family’s problems, but, honestly, I didn’t really care what happened to any of them.

However, I’m glad I finished it. The story has a strange redeeming quality to it and after the last page, I did feel something for these people and the sad state of their lives. In the end, I was happy to see Pinky find herself and the courage to stand up to her aunt. It was also nice to see the family start to pull itself back together. I do wish I would have experienced more of the redeeming affect while I was reading; it would have made it much more enjoyable. In the end, it was an okay read but not a book I will go back to.

The Magicians

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The Magicians

The Magicians

The Magicians

By Lev Grossman

Viking

ISBN: 978-0-670-02055-3

4 stars

Quentin Coldwater is a brilliant high school student who is bored with life. He’s always looking for something in the way of entertainment or satisfaction that seems just out of reach. As a means of escape, he constantly re-reads a fantasy novel set is a mythical world called Fillory. He doesn’t think magic is real but when he finds himself at a school for the magically gifted, he’s forced to change his whole belief system about the world and what he thought it was.

After passing the grueling and somewhat enlightening (for Quentin anyway) entrance exam, he’s admitted to Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy and begins partaking of the college life which according to this book is all about booze, sex, and love. The years fly by and Quentin finds his little niche at the school becoming part of a small, tight-knit group of students deemed the physicals due to the magical discipline they specialize in. When graduation approaches, he finds himself once more bored with the hedonistic life he’s living — that is until a school friend finds a way into Fillory. Quentin doesn’t immediately believe they will be able to get to Fillory but when his debauched life catches up with him, he makes the call and they embark on a journey none expected.

I was so looking forward to this book and while I wasn’t disappointed (in fact I liked the book a lot) I was sort of annoyed. The book was billed as Harry Potter for adults and there are a lot of small jibs at the story and a lot of little similarities that you can’t help but notice even if you’ve only seen the movies. Brakebills is Hogwarts complete with a high astronomy tower, school uniforms, and right at the beginning, Quentin is teamed up with another boy, Penny, and a girl, Alice, in his class. They don’t get along as famously but they do find themselves together for better or worse. Grossman does take a few shots at Rowlings world and the magic. For instance, practicing magic with a wand is looked down upon. He doesn’t stop there — the world of Fillory and the “quest” they set upon is Tolkien and C.S. Lewis inspired, and, wait for it, he also throws in a bit of Star Wars at the end. (That part is a nice bit of irony that’s actually quite amusing though.)

Why mention this? Well, I like my Harry Potter. There I said it. Now, I’m not trying to defend, I’m just pointing out the obvious comparisons in this book to that work and many others. He takes a bit here and there and makes it his own and it works. What annoyed me was the slightly mean-spirited way in which some references were made.

THAT SAID, I thought this book was great fun and even stayed up way too late to finish reading it. I had to know if they would get out of Fillory alive and what would happen if and when Quentin made it back to the real world.

The characters are great and even if you hate what they are sometimes doing and becoming, you still want to be one of them. The magic is thrilling and seems so very real that you too want to find Fillory. It’s a good book, entertaining, amusing and worth the read.

The King’s Favorite

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The Kings Favorite

The King's Favorite

The King’s Favorite

By Susan Holloway Scott

New American Library

ISBN: 978-0-451-22406-4

3 stars

Nell Gwyn, all of 12 years old, is working in a brothel but instead of spending quality time with the men, she serves refreshments and sings by way of amusements. Her mother and sister both work in the trade but she refuses, believing herself to be worthy of only one, specifically King Charles II.

Eventually she becomes the mistress of a wealthy merchant and though boring, he is kind to her and rather indulgent. At her request, he takes her to plays where she falls in love with the idea of being on stage. When her agreement comes to an end, she decides to get a job in the theater not wanting to go back to the brothel. She doesn’t end up on stage but gets herself inside by selling oranges where she is able to catch the eye of the king and the playhouse director. Nell eventually worms her way on stage and through her wit and ability to make people laugh, becomes one of the most famous actresses of her time. Soon after, she finds herself a mistress of the king, no longer playing on stage but in the king’s bedroom instead.

I found this book on my shelf while doing a bit of weeding. I adore historical fiction but I found that I quickly tired of the court politics and Nell’s incessant impersonations of every single person she didn’t like. The celebrity of being an actress was interesting and the way Nell yielded her fame was amusing but when the action moved to the court I felt bored. There was a lot going on at the time — war with the Dutch, secret alliances with the French, religious persecution — all were mentioned in the most vague terms and never became part of the story. As Nell herself constantly reminds us, she is just the king’s protestant whore and doesn’t concern herself with anything more than entertaining the king she dearly loves. That’s all fine, but it makes for a sort of boring book when all they do is a bit, and sometimes a lot, of swiving. (I was so waiting to use that word in a sentence!)

The love story between Nell and King Charles is touching at moments but overall I didn’t feel much for the characters. Charles is a kind person and you can see why Nell loves him but it felt superficial to me. There were a few amusing scenes along the way but not enough to draw me into the book breathlessly waiting to find out what would happen next.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

By Shirley Jackson

Penguin Books

ISBN: 978-0-14-303997-6

4.5 stars

Mary Katherine Blackwood (Merricat to her family) is walking home after a trip to the grocery store describing all the stares and name calling she must endure before finding herself back home and safely ensconced behind a locked door. She shares her home with her older sister Constance and their Uncle Julian, neither of which ever leave the house. The three have lived under a cloud of suspicion and ridicule after several family members were found dead of arsenic poisoning one night many years ago. Constance was acquitted of the murders, and after her release, she retreated to the house and hasn’t left since. Her fear of others and the outside world is palpable. Merricat tries to help as best she can but is hampered in her own way. A teenager of 18, Merricat still thinks and acts like a child, unable to deal with change, afraid for her sister, and prone to outbursts of anger.

One day their cousin Charles shows up for a visit. His motives seem very sinister to Merricat who takes an immediate dislike to him. Constance, oddly, seems to relish having a visitor but you can feel the tension building in her attempting to placate Charles, restrain Merricat, and care for the ailing Uncle Julian. Merricat takes it upon herself to drive Charles from their safe haven wanting to return to their comforting schedule of cleaning and cooking.

In one of the most affecting and riveting scenes in the book, a fire ravages the house and the townspeople show up to fight the fire and heckle the family. “Let it burn” chants echo over the flames and after the fire is extinguished, the onlookers wreck the house — trashing furniture, smashing plates and carefully cared for and cherished pieces of family history with little regard. It’s fantastically abhorrent to see the actions of the people mixed with the raw emotions of the sisters. It made me want to put the book down but I couldn’t, wanting desperately to know they would survive the unconscionable actions of the townspeople.

You can’t say this book has a happy ending but you come to an understanding with Merricat and Constance and are glad to see they are happy and feel safe in the small, tragic world that is their own. Jackson weaves in agoraphobic fears and traits so well that you almost believe the sisters are better off alone, locked away in a house reclaimed by vines and shrouded in cardboard and spare wood staring out at the world through peep holes.

This was a marvelously refreshing book to read. After the description above I’m sure you may be wondering why I would say that but the characters are so amazing and clever that you may want to stay in their world with them even though it is suffocating and sad.

The Wordy Shipmates

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The Wordy Shipmates

The Wordy Shipmates

The Wordy Shipmates

By Sarah Vowell

Riverhead Books

ISBN: 978-1-59448-999-0

4.5 stars

The Wordy Shipmates is an entertaining book that will have readers fascinated by the history of America’s founding and the sheer silliness of history sometimes.

Vowell begins with the sailing of the ship Arabella and a blessing by Reverend John Cotton, which being a rather long and dreary speech common for its time, leaves the reader and these particular sailors and passengers, with much to think about in terms of the task they are embarking upon. While she does not provide much in terms of the history of the very early Puritans, as her work focuses on the words of the men at the time, one is left with an odd but very insightful interpretation of the types of people who were setting out to found a new land.

Her wit punctuates the story in all the right places reminding the reader of the silly and trifling events that have taken place which have made America what it is today. She takes readers on both a mental and physical journey as she road trips to places such as Boston and Connecticut to view for herself what has become of these locations she has only known from books and letters.

She talks about her fascination with these Puritans and their religion. Under her watchful and admiring eye, she once again brings these men to life, even if in some instances only to air their dirty laundry. While she does point out much of the inane arguments that took place at the time, you see the admiration that she holds for these individuals and what they are undertaking.

One caution about the book – if you are looking for a purely historical read, you will not find it here. A short book, only 254 pages, it reads more like a dissertation rather than an in-depth historical look at the time period. Her topic is well focused and she does not divert from what she has set out to research — the letters of the men inhabiting the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

She is insightful, witty, and very respectful toward her subjects. She leaves readers with much to think about and a laugh or two along the way.

Excalibur

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Excalibur

Excalibur

Excalibur

By Bernard Cornwell

St. Martin’s Press

ISBN: 0-312-18575-8

4.5 stars

The third book in the warlord trilogy, Excalibur follows Arthur to the end of his tale. Derfel, the narrator, is finishing the story for Queen Igraine of Powys, his patron, and reminiscing about a life lived and how the smallest things can change a life forever.

In Excalibur, we find Arthur at peace with the world. He has helped to install Mordred as king, and while his reign is anything but just, Arthur has kept his oath to see him placed on the throne. During this time of hesitant peace — Saxons are gathering and people are expecting another battle — Merlin believes it is time to bring the gods back to the land. Everyone is gathered, Pagan and Christian alike, to watch Merlin summon gods of the old world. He fails and the blame falls on Arthur who would not allow his son, Gwydre, to be sacrificed for the gods. Soon after, the Saxons invade.

The invasion is the largest yet and the Saxons have come not just to intimidate but to conquer. Past wars have been rather quick but this time Arthur guesses wrong about where the enemy will make its stand. He gets cut off from his forces and the Saxons mount an impressive siege, trapping Derfel and his men who were to meet with Arthur. Arthur does arrive with reinforcements and the ensuing battle is long and harsh. He prevails, driving the Saxons out once more. Mordred is left a king without powers but a king nonetheless. And against his wishes, Derfel is named to rule Dumnonia and Arthur, newly reunited with Guinevere, retreats to Siluria to live the quiet life he has always wanted. They all become content and this is when their enemies rise.

Arthur and Derfel wanted peace and quiet, time with their wives, children, and grandchildren. When news comes of Mordred’s approaching death after being wounded in battle far from home, they begin planning for Gwydre to become ruler of Dumnonia. Mordred, unfortunately, is far from death and returns with a warband intent on killing rivals and anyone who caused him pain in the past. He plans to take the power and rightful kingship he feels he was denied.

While reading, there were times when I needed to remind myself this wasn’t Derfel’s story but Arthur’s. Their lives, fortunes, and wars are so intertwined that you can almost see them as one story. Derfel, in his telling, reminds you that it is Arthur and intentionally leaves out information he isn’t comfortable speculating on which sometimes can be annoying. For instance, Queen Igraine wants to know how Arthur and Guinevere were reunited and what happened. He tells her only what he knows — that they spoke together after the battle of Mynydd Baddon where the Saxons were defeated. You want to know more too but he doesn’t add that information, telling only the story he knows. This is one of the reasons why I liked this series so much, the character of Derfel. He was honest, true, credible, and so very likable even if he didn’t tell you all you wanted to know. You trusted him to be true to the story and it made it all work in the end.

The ending is true to Arthurian standards and while I won’t disclose it here, it does feel satisfactory if a bit stunted but then again, that is how war and stories sometimes end.

Enemy of God

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Enemy of God

Enemy of God

Enemy of God

By Bernard Cornwell

St. Martin’s Press

ISBN: 0-312-15523-0

5 stars

Enemy of God is the second book in the Warlord series by Cornwell. It picks up where The Winter King left off with Derfel telling the story of Arthur to Queen Igraine of Powys, his patron.

In The Winter King, Arthur was working to protect the child Mordred, the eventual leader of Dumnonia, and to secure peace in the land he loves. In Enemy of God, that peace has been secured but there are still battles to be fought — some with the Saxons and many with Arthur’s own family and friends.

Derfel, who has an everlasting trust in Merlin, goes with him in search of Britain’s greatest treasure, the Cauldron of Clyddno Eiddyn, which Merlin believes will bring the gods back to the land. Derfel is reunited with his love, Ceinwyn, during this time and while it’s not always a happy or easy life for him, you can’t help but admire him and want to hear his story.

We also learn more about Arthur and Guinevere, their sad love story, and how it brings the ruin of what many people, but mostly Guinevere, referred to as Camelot. Oddly, you’ll also notice that the 10 years of peace that Arthur brings to the land are still rife with fighting, just smaller scale but it’s still there and Derfel doesn’t let the reader forget it was a rough life. The ending is full of betrayal and brings about a change in Arthur, less kind and more brutal but justified — the emergence of the warlord leader you have been waiting for. He is no longer protecting the land for Mordred who is now grown and assumed the thrown, but fighting in his own name for his own cause.

The rise of Christianity and the fall of the Pagan gods drives a good portion of the story. I found the small rituals that each character performs to ward off evil and ill-luck from the other religion fascinating. I don’t think I’ve read about so many people spitting, crossing themselves, and touching iron in any other book. The good part here, is that it’s part of who these characters are and adds to the story without distracting attention.

I’m working my way through this series for the Arthurian Challenge and I’m loving it. I’ve had the pleasure of being able to read all three book back to back which has kept the story going without interruption making it very easy to just open the book and get lost. If you’re looking for a good historical read, Cornwell delivers with this series. Even if you’re not an Arthur fan, it still works very well providing a picture of life that’s just brutal but so satisfying.