Andrew

This is the first book I've read "live" in awhile; most things in my library are old books or have been on my reading list for years before I get around to them. I am already regretting the long wait until the next book in the series comes out.

This is a worthy follow-up to The Mercy of Gods and does a good job expanding and diversifying the core cast from the first book. I don't know how many books the series is planned to run for in total, but this one is still very much a world-building exercise as the humans continue trying to adapt to the new status quo. Many interesting ideas and plot lines are introduced here with no immediate payoff but I have high hopes for continuing the series.

My Rating Scale

5 stars - An all-time classic, a book that fundamentally changed or enriched my life. Would recommend to any and all readers.

4 stars - An excellent book that stands out in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or subject matter.

3 stars - A perfectly serviceable book that may be entertaining or informative but does not push the envelope or linger long in the memory. Would recommend to pre-existing fans of the genre or author.

2 stars - A book that falls short in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would only recommend with reservations or would not recommend at all.

1 star - A book that has nothing to say, or says it so poorly it isn't worth reading. Would not recommend and would actively warn away from.

Better than The Sword and the Dagger in terms of plot and characterization, but still a little rough and could have been slimmed down considerably. This novel introduces Grayson Death Carlyle and kicks off the Saga of the Gray Death Legion, one of the major storylines within the Battletech lore.

He mused about Claydon as he made his way north through Sarghad's streets toward Mara's apartment. He'd decided to walk despite the cold because he needed the time to do some thinking. Anyway, his cold-weather gear kept him warm enough.

There are many passages like that one that either cancel themselves out, make themselves immediately redundant, or repeat information over and over again. A good 40-50 pages could have been cut without losing anything of import.

My Rating Scale

5 stars - An all-time classic, a book that fundamentally changed or enriched my life. Would recommend to any and all readers.

4 stars - An excellent book that stands out in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or subject matter.

3 stars - A perfectly serviceable book that may be entertaining or informative but does not push the envelope or linger long in the memory. Would recommend to pre-existing fans of the genre or author.

2 stars - A book that falls short in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would only recommend with reservations or would not recommend at all.

1 star - A book that has nothing to say, or says it so poorly it isn't worth reading. Would not recommend and would actively warn away from.

Extremely well-researched and engaging biography of a modern-day sailing vagabond whose life was repeatedly marred by tragedy and traumatic events and ultimately, paradoxically, was held prisoner by his reckless pursuit of freedom.

Anyone who enjoyed Into the Wild will love this as well, as it explores similar themes of youthful idealism, intentional rejection of civilization, and self-destructive hubris.

_____

My Rating Scale

5 stars - An all-time classic, a book that fundamentally changed or enriched my life. Would recommend to any and all readers.

4 stars - An excellent book that stands out in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or subject matter.

3 stars - A perfectly serviceable book that may be entertaining or informative but does not push the envelope or linger long in the memory. Would recommend to pre-existing fans of the genre or author.

2 stars - A book that falls short in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would only recommend with reservations or would not recommend at all.

1 star - A book that has nothing to say, or says it so poorly it isn't worth reading. Would not recommend and would actively warn away from.

A good mix of short stories about sex, violence, and greed from throughout Block's long career. Most are standalone stories, a few take place within his popular Matt Scudder series.

My favorite of the collection was the titular story, "Catch and Release, about a 'retired' serial killer. There were two other stories, "Clean Slate" and "Speaking of Lust" had elements that made me initially think they were related or describing the same events from different perspectives...but on further reflection, I think it was more a case of an author going back to the same well more than once in his career. Who knows how much it was intentional choice?

_____

My Rating Scale

5 stars - An all-time classic, a book that fundamentally changed or enriched my life. Would recommend to any and all readers.

4 stars - An excellent book that stands out in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or subject matter.

3 stars - A perfectly serviceable book that may be entertaining or informative but does not push the envelope or linger long in the memory. Would recommend to pre-existing fans of the genre or author.

2 stars - A book that falls short in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would only recommend with reservations or would not recommend at all.

1 star - A book that has nothing to say, or says it so poorly it isn't worth reading. Would not recommend and would actively warn away from.

A disappointing follow-up to The Prisoner of Zenda, with a surprisingly bitter undercurrent to it all.

The true king, Rudolph Elphsburg, suffers PTSD from his captivity in the previous novel and paranoia that his wife and closest advisors all preferred his imposter, Rudolph Rassendyll...and he's 100% correct. His so-called friends despise and despair of his leadership and the central conflict of the plot involves trying to cover up the long-running emotional affair Queen Flavia and Rassendyll have been carrying on behind his back. When Elphsburg is murdered by the titular villain, everyone treats it as a win-win.

The novel suffers on three counts. First, that it is narrated by the stuffy and Germanic nobleman Fritz, who saps the story of energy and immediacy with his lengthy, florid, archaic language.

Second, that it overuses the impersonations, double-crosses, and misunderstandings until it becomes a confused mess: "we know that he knows that we know that he knows the King is in Zenda, but he doesn't know that we know that he knows we know that he knows!" and so forth...

And third, there's no escaping that the central conflict is an issue entirely of the protagonists' own making as they work to cover up the Queen's affair in the guise of "protecting her honor." Maybe that morality played better in 1896 but it has not held up at all.