A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn doesn’t come across as an unbiased view of the illustrious existence of the likely most influential nation on this planet. To be fair, no one can likely achieve the state of complete objectivity, so I don’t hold anything against Zinn, although I would likely disagree with many of his conclusions and opinions if we had ever been able to meet.
Zinn’s objective is to highlight the policies and decisions that the federal government enacted over the relatively few centuries it existed that impacted the common citizen the most. He hits the highlights and lowlights of this country pretty thoroughly and does come off as quite critical of his own country. That is his right, and I applaud him for presenting a book that I found to be pretty well-written. I do not normally read history books on my own, so I do not have much of a comparison to make to other works of this kind at this time.’
I do applaud Zinn for acknowledging his biases in the afterword, so I can respect him as a writer even though I suspect that there are perspectives that may have been overlooked in this particular work. There again, one can likely make a credible case for that in just about every book of this genre.
This is a well-known presentation of the country’s history and was referenced in at least one popular movie that I know of.
Anyway, Zinn seems to have been quite diligent in his research and throws quite a bit at the reader. It’s a tough read for someone just indulging their curiosity, but I still enjoyed making the effort. I am not sure how much I will be able to retain, however it still seems worth the time,
This book comes with a reputation, and it seems to be derided by many of those on the conservative side of the political spectrum. Those criticisms likely have some validity, but I would still recommend adding this to the reading queue.
I am returning to a more familiar genre in my next read with Last Voyage by British mystery writer, Anna Clarke.
A Study in Terror is a 1966 thriller that features Sherlock Holmes taking on the disturbing murders committed by Jack the Ripper. James Hill directed this mediocre film that was written by Derek and Donald Ford alongside Henry Craog, who is apparently uncredited for some reason.
John Neville takes on the iconic role of Sherlock Holmes with Donald Houston as Dr. John Watson. Other members of the cast include Anthony Quayle, Frank Finlay, Adrienne Corri, and a very young Judi Dench.
An unexpected parcel draws the Baker Street duo into the chase for Jack the Ripper. Holmes figures out a connection to British royalty and begins his investigation in Whitechapel to try to identify the most elusive killer the London police as ever faced.
I can usually enjoy an old Sherlock Holmes film, but this one required a bit more of an effort than most. Neville was pretty reasonable casting as Holmes, but Houston’s version of Watson was rather bland. Watson came off as a bit denser than I imagine from Arthur Conan Doyle’s writings and other screen depictions.
There was also an attempt from the writers to cram every Doyle quote into this thing at any given opportunity, which just ended up coming off as forced and ham-fisted.
Also, the number of efforts to pit Homes against the Ripper have been too numerous to mention over the years. I was hoping this would be a better jab at it, but it was as disappointing as I should have expected.
I will say the set design was pretty remarkable. The visuals of the film are quite stunning at times, but the spectacle is let down by the writing.
I also think the fight scenes were pretty well crafted. There was a kind of a raw brutality that was surprising to see in a Sherlock Holmes film.
Although the film had a few bright spots, the writers kind of dropped the ball a few too many times for me to enjoy it as much as I had hoped.
Doctor Who: The Haunted Windmill is an audio boxset from Big Finish Productions which has the Second Doctor, played by Michael Troughton, escape into an alternative reality where his various interventions in Earth’s troubles never happened. There are three episodes all written by Alan Barnes and directed by Nicholas Briggs.
Troughton continues his efforts to channel the spirit of his late father, Patrick Troughton, and bring a fairly impressive vocal performance that at times almost matches the elder’s. Anyway, I really like the Second Doctor, and Barnes is a reliable writer who once again delivers a solid contribution to the lore.
Fraser Hines returns to the mic as Jamie McCrimmon and a descendent of his, who is revealed. Wendy Padbury is also on deck, returning as Zoe Herriot. Other familiar characters from the Doctor’s past also gather around him in spite of the unfamiliar circumstances.
Also, this TARDIS team has picked up another companion in the form of the Time Lady, known as Raven, who is portrayed by Emma Noakes. Raven has been a presence for a little while in the Second Doctor Adventures, and she has been growing on me.
To be clear, this is a period after the Doctor was sentenced to exile in The War Games but before that sentence was actually carried out. He has yet to regenerate into his third incarnation. He has been reunited with Jamie and Zoe who are now older in this range.
Anyway, Alan Barnes usually comes through with some entertaining and pulls it off yet again.
The Haunted Windmill starts off with the Doctor, Jamie, Zoe, and Raven don’t want to be dragged back to Gallifrey, so they make their escape into a parallel universe and arrive on Earth in 1963, which is not entirely identical to what the Doctor remembers. After Jamie and Zoe suddenly vanish, the Doctor and Raven find an abandoned windmill where they must set up shop to repair the TARDIS. Detective Inspector Lethbridge-Steward, played by Jon Culshaw, is investigating a series of strange thefts. A ghost has been sighted on the marsh. A pair of youngsters are drawn into the Doctor’s presence. This reality may not be what the Doctor remembers, but dangerous adversaries are starting to find their way to him.
It’s not a bad start because the chemistry between the Doctor and Raven is really starting to develop with Jamie and Zoe sidelined. Although Padbury and Hines are still around as a part of their lineages, and it works well. In effect, the Doctor gains two new companions in the shape of Bertie and Lucius, played by Olivia Woolhouse and Ilan Galkoff, respectively.
Besides, who can fail to be intrigued by a haunted windmill?
The Crystal Ship is the second story and probably isn’t going to count as a favorite, but it’s a fine addition. Daisy Ashford makes an appearance as Liz Shaw, a role originally brought to life by her mother, Caroline John. The Doctor finds that an experimental rocket plane has been taken over by some familiar adversaries, but they have not encou8ntered him before in this altered reality.
There are some fun performances here. Roger Ringrose seems to really get into his role as the obnoxious Professor Quigley. I thought bringing Liz Shaw in was a bold decision, but it does work pretty well.
Michael Troughton continues to improve in his performance. He says that he is not trying to a carbon copy of his father’s performance in interviews and believes that his father would approve of his efforts to leave something of himself on the performance. He is probably right, so I try not to be too critical of his participation. What is more important is that Michael doesn’t manage to wreck the nostalgia and still keep his version of this Doctor familiar. He is accomplishing that much.
Anyway, I am not sure this is Barnes’ best effort, but it gets the job done and manages to keep me pretty close to the right amount of suspense.
Finally, this set comes to an end with The Hungry Glass in which the Doctor and Raven come across a peculiar mirror which contains something more than reflections. Another old friend is trapped behind the glass, and very familiar old enemies are also lurking. The Doctor’s past is converging on him even more, and his future becomes even more in doubt.
Overall, I did enjoy this set and the efforts to scramble the canon just enough to keep things interesting without tossing the whole history into the trash can.
Alan Banes was a great choice to continue this range. I am not one of those fans intrigued too much by the mythical season 6b, but Barnes does a good job playing with some of those concepts. Of course, I am willing to give a lot of leeway which it comes to the Second Doctor.
Nowhere to Run by C.J. Box is another solid installment in a pretty compelling series featuring game warden Joe Pickett.
Joe Pickett is wrapping up a temporary assignment in Baggs, Wyoming before returning home to his wife and daughters. He gets reports of some harassment of campers and an elk that was illegally butchered. Pickett looks into the matter and encounters a pair known as the Grim Brothers. When an attempted arrest goes very wrong, Pickett barely escapes with his life. There also seems to be a peculiar connection to an aspiring Olympic runner who had vanished a couple of years earlier. Pickett’s word comes into question when subsequent investigators can find no evidence of his harrowing ordeal with the Grim Brothers. Pickett has to decide if he needs to return to the mountain for the sake of justice and his peace of mind.
Box kind of flirts with the supernatural here when the legend of Wendigos is mentioned. A wendigo is a legendary evil spirit that can resemble a human that may eat human flesh.
Box does a pretty good job of threading together a pretty diverse set of unusual circumstances. Pickett also deals with the challenges of being a father of growing daughters, including a traumatized and sullen foster daughter. The devotion he has for his wife and daughters is rather moving and inspiring.
Pickett is a flawed yet unquestionably noble protagonist and is too often accused of being stubborn. It is an admirable stubbornness, however.
Box continues to be a competent writer and storyteller. He has a pretty good pace when it comes to letting the story unfold.
This novel does get better as more secretes are revealed. There is nothing too extraordinary about this particular installment in the series, but Box does a good job of keeping the reader’s attention.
I have decided to take a different literary path for the time being. The next read is Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States.
Quinn is a suspense novel written by long-time author Iris Johansen and is the second in a trilogy featuring Eve Duncan’s search for her long-missing daughter.
Joe Quinn has been stabbed critically and is in the hospital with an uncertain chance of survival. He is Eve’s long-time boyfriend who has been roped into the search for Bonnie which has lasted for years. Eve works as some kind of forensic sculptor while Joe is a former Nave SEAL and current federal investigator. The current suspect is Bonnie’s father, John Gallo, who also has some dangerous skills and a possible mental condition. There seems to be a conspiracy afoot as well preventing the truth from coming to full light.
The story reveals how Quinn and Eve first meant, which precipitated a long crusade against a variety of killers and psychopaths.
This turned out to be a bit more gruesome than I expected which I don’t necessarily mind, except the story does involve children victimized in the worst ways.
Johansen is a competent enough writer, which is not surprising because she has been around forever. I had some trouble with staying interested, probably due to me just reading this one at random, jumping right in the middle of a long running series.
A friend of Eve’s named Catherine Ling has caught up to John Gallo, initiating a weird mutual stalking scenario in a forest that lasts for a couple of weeks.
Johansen’s roots as a romance writer are still prevalent here. The banter and sexual tension between Catherine and Gallo don’t really come off as very plausible.
Quinn himself is kind of interesting, but only because he’s a little too perfect as a sensitive yet ruthless manhunter.
Johansen also adds some supernatural flavor to the story with the main characters having visions of Bonnie.
There’s a chance I will return to this trilogy and see how things turn out, but I doubt I will make it a priority. I am definitely not the target audience for this author or this book. Fortunately, Johansen isn’t so bad where I am forced to wonder how she has stayed in business for so long.
This one is another case where the book was not outright terrible, but it’s not all that riveting either.
I believe it’s time to return to more familiar literary territory in which game warden Joe Pickett can find that even the most experienced at survival can find themselves with Nowhere to Run by C.J. Box.
The Clinic is a reasonably engaging thriller by Cate Quinn about a luxury rehab center that is at the center of a puzzling death of a famous singer. The singer’s sister, Meg, goes into the isolated clinic to see how her sister could have died in what should have been one of the safest clinics in the world. The novel is structured as a first-person narrative that is split between two characters’ perspectives.
Meg works at a casino as an undercover card player who is there to expose cheaters and other illegal activities. She also has a drug addiction that actually does need treatment, but she wants to enter the rehab facility to find out what happened to her sister. She has a friend who is an ex-cop who can help her get in, but he is trying to get her to actually take advantage of the treatment options. Meg gets to know the other patients who are mainly celebrities and becomes convinced that her sister was killed by one of them. She starts to get written warnings that are seemingly signed by her sister. Meg’s search for her sister’s killer is of course hampered by her own addiction, but it also seems that her cover is not quite as secure as she hoped.
Cara is the manager of the facility and starts to suspect that there is something more sinister going on than just good-hearted doctors wanting to help the rich and famous fight their various addictions and compulsions. Her own search for the truth concerning the history of the owner, Dr. Lutz, leads her down her own dangerous path that could also lead to life cut abruptly short.
This particular structure of storytelling seems to be getting more trendy among today’s female thriller novelists. It’s not that hard to follow once the reader gets used to shifting perspectives like that.
The plot is kind of standard, although Med admittedly has an interesting job. I am a bit of a sucker for the isolated manors being the scene of some deadly shenanigans. It does usually work, and Quinn does make good use of it here as well.
Some of the twists are a bit outlandish, but that’s a common complaint from me when reading these types of thrillers. Quinn apparently has struggled with addiction herself which does give this tale some authenticity.
It’s a reasonably entertaining and interesting ride, but there weren’t too many characters I liked. Quinn does like to show off a bit when it comes to her familiarity with clinical jargon. I recognized some of the terms and theories regarding addiction and trauma due to previous profession.
Anyway, Quinn is fine as a writer, but there wasn’t much that really stood out. It just felt like a standard thriller in a remote facility with shifty characters. I will likely try another of her novels, but I doubt it will be anytime soon.
The endless literary exploration will continue with a novel by Iris Johansen entitled Quinn,
Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram of War by Nicholas Meyer may not be the best of the pastiche novels featuring the most renowned fictional detective, but there is still some enjoyment to be discovered as a reading experience.
Dr. John Watson is quite a bit older, but he is able to still use his medical skills to care for the soldiers wounded in the First World War. His old friend, Sherlock Holmes, suddenly appears looking as if he was on the wrong end of a fight and explains that he is about to undertake a rather important mission on behalf of the British government. A telegram has been sent to Mexico, and the two elderly adventurers are still able to track it down, but it will take a lengthy trip to the United States during wartime where German U-boats prowl the seas, and an assassin apparently has them in their sights. It may be their most important case, and they are not young anymore, but it is often still a mistake to count out the tenacity and ingenuity of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Meyer is unquestionably a talented writer, but I had some trouble staying all that interested in the plot because it does not entirely feel like something Arthur Conan Doyle would actually delve into in spite of the views presented in the review excerpts. Some of the photos of the real historical figures encountered by Holmes and Watson and Meyer’s enthusiastic depictions of the research he has obviously done sometimes gets a littl distracting from the plot.
I did find the Watson’s reflections and doubts about his ability to continue living in this manner at his age to be a bit more interesting than the actual plot. There are some concerns that Holmes’ deductive abilities have waned as well, but they still press on.
Meyer does explore some aspects of the First World War that do not seem widely known. Watson’s narration is still interesting enough when he reveals thoughts and fears that appear rarely in previous exploits. Meyer is good at keeping such well-known characters recognizable. Although I doubt that Doyle would have had such a convoluted plot, the characters still appear consistent with how he would have written them.
I still consider Meyer to be one of the better writers who have contributed to the Sherlock Holmes literature not written by the original creator. This particular novel didn’t have as many highlights as I would have preferred, but it was still a worthwhile read.
I think it’s time to make a slight variance in my usual reading indulgences. I will gain some insight into the Japanese underworld with Junichi Saga’s Confessions of a Yakuza.
Lethal White is the rather lengthy, convoluted fourth novel featuring Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith, who is really J.K. Rowling. It is still quite good, but some of the more personal dynamics between Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, tends to grab my interest more than the actual murder mystery.
It has been a year since Robin has entered what appears to be a troubled marriage. She has been elevated to partner in Strike’s detective agency. Strike has been gaining some notoriety due his involvement in some high-profile murders occurring in London. He is also the illegitimate son of a popular rock star. He also lost a leg when he served king and country in the military. Needless to say, he is a guy with a colorful past.
Well, this caper starts off with a very troubled young man bursting into Strike’s office and claiming to have witnessed a strangulation when he was a child. When he and Robin start to take a look at this claim, a minister in Parliament shows up and hires the agency to assist in a blackmail situation which sends Robin undercover, much to the frustration of her new husband.
Anyway, a connection between the aforementioned strange visit and this minister’s problem becomes apparent. Once again, Strike and Robin have to risk their lives as they also navigate the complications in their friendship.
Galbraith is unquestionably a talented, interesting writer on the whole, but this novel felt a little more dense than necessary at times. Strike and Robin’s banter certainly helps one navigate this unwieldy plot.
Robin’s situation with her husband feels a bit cliche at times, but it was still interesting. There is an obvious “will they or won’t they” vibe going on between Strike and Robin, which is a little trite but still engaging.
As I work my way through the series, I doubt Lethal White will rank as a favorite, but it’s still worth the time. Galbraith still manages to be compelling enough to keep me returning to the series.
As usual, I will get the next installment a few books down the road. For now, it is time to revisit the living room of 221B Baker Street as Nicholas Meyer unveils the story of Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram From Hell.
The War Doctor Rises: Unknown Soldiers continues the intriguing set of adventures in which the incarnation known as the War Doctor continues his participation in the all-encompassing Time War in this range of Doctor Who audio plays presented by Big Finish Productions. Timothy X. Atack is the scriptwriter with Helen Goldwyn returning to the director’s chair.
Jonathon Carley resumes his efforts to portray this darker version of the Doctor and continues to perfect his impression of the late John Hurt, who originally portrayed the part onscreen and did his own set of audio plays not long before his death.
The Daleks are once again voiced by the incomparable Nicholas Briggs. Isla Pars, Andrew James Spooner, Phillipe Bosher, Simon Kane, Amanda Shodeko, and Adam Martyn make up the talented guest cast.
The War Doctor gains a new moniker, Wild Card, as he is recruited by fellow Time Lords and a ragtag group of fighters as they hunt for someone known as the Blind Bomb Maker. For once, the War Doctor isn’t calling the shots, but he is instrumental in this latest stage in the Time War. He was not renamed Wild Card without reason.
The story is a bit long and somewhat complicated for audio format; however, it is still a worthwhile experience because of Carley’s continued excellence in this role. The war Doctor being part of a somewhat strange unit that includes a talking squirrel-like creature seems kind of unusual. Now that I write this, it sort of gives off Guardians of the Galaxy vibes.
There is also an exiled Time Lord who is known as a traitor, but her memories have been partially erased where she cannot explain why she committed a supposedly treasonous act. There is a dying Movellan with a cheeky attitude, which is rather strange since that is an android race.
Atack provides a pretty intriguing group of companions for the War Doctor. The War Doctor not quite in the lead is rather unusual, but I found that it gives the expectations a needed shake-up. Fans shouldn’t worry because he still gets plenty to do and does help drive the story considerably.
Anyway, it’s another solid addition to the range and a nice feather in Big Finish’s cap.
Pieces of Her is a thriller by Karin Slaughter that is pretty good but kind of felt longer than necessary.
Andrea and her mother, Laura, are having some lunch at a diner in a shopping mall when a mass shooter breaks up the repast with an intent to kill. When her daughter is threatened, Laura moves with unusual efficiency for a middle-aged speech therapist and dispatches the killer with surprising brutality. Laura’s seemingly heroic actions make the news, which brings some troubles from a buried past of which her daughter has no knowledge. A pretty harrowing attempt is made on Laura’s life, and Andy kind of returns the favor by saving her life. Andy is on a search to discover the history that her mother has kept secret. Andy finds that murder and fanaticism have followed her mother for some time. She also learns of a family she never knew she had and may wish she had not found out.
Slaughter makes liberal use of flashbacks to fill in the strange and tragic history of Laura Oliver when she had another name. Slaughter has been in the writing game for a while, and she is an interesting writer. I can see why she has her fans, but this novel sort of dragged for me.
The basic plot is pretty good, and Slaughter does toss in some pretty clever reveals. Slaughter does sometimes let the story get a little bogged down with exposition.
I found the revelation of Laura’s true identity to be somewhat creative. I will try to avoid spoilers, but some of the standard tropes did not appear. Laura is not a retired spy or something like that.
Slaughter did a decent job of keeping me guessing as to how certain people were significant.
It’s another novel that provided some solid entertainment without it being uniquely memorable. It is more than likely that this will not be my last foray into the works of Karin Slaughter
More literary mystery and mayhem is forthcoming with Walter Mosley’s White Butterfly.
Reviews, Musings, and Other Things... 