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David McK (3600 KP) rated The Devil's Assassin (Jack Lark, #3) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The third full-length Jack Lark novel, this sees the eponymous hero - after his impersonation is uncovered, in the first quarter of the story - becoming involved in the murky world of counter-intelligence (Spy Hunting) when the Persians move against the British territory in Persia.
For some reason, I found Jack to be less of a likable character than before, meaning I never really rooted for him as much as in the previous two ([b: The Scarlet Thief|18752323|The Scarlet Thief (Jack Lark, #1)|Paul Fraser Collard|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383577532s/18752323.jpg|24752025] and [b: The Maharajah's General|21307578|The Maharajah's General (Jack Lark, #2)|Paul Fraser Collard|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418764237s/21307578.jpg|25081676]), with the identity of the spy also - I felt - telegraphed pretty early on! OK, I may not have seen *why* they did it, however ...
Ending with Jack Lark honourably discharged, and able to - finally - use his own identity again, I also wonder just what the hook for the next novel will be. That's not to say, however, that I won't be reading it!
For some reason, I found Jack to be less of a likable character than before, meaning I never really rooted for him as much as in the previous two ([b: The Scarlet Thief|18752323|The Scarlet Thief (Jack Lark, #1)|Paul Fraser Collard|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383577532s/18752323.jpg|24752025] and [b: The Maharajah's General|21307578|The Maharajah's General (Jack Lark, #2)|Paul Fraser Collard|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418764237s/21307578.jpg|25081676]), with the identity of the spy also - I felt - telegraphed pretty early on! OK, I may not have seen *why* they did it, however ...
Ending with Jack Lark honourably discharged, and able to - finally - use his own identity again, I also wonder just what the hook for the next novel will be. That's not to say, however, that I won't be reading it!
David McK (3600 KP) rated Gale Force (Weather Warden, #7) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Poor old Joanne Baldwin
So far in this series she's been marked (literally) for Death, died and been re-born again as a Djinn, lost her Djinn-hood, survived the war Warden/Djinn war and the subsequent Djinn Civil War, and suffered from a severe case of amnesia.
While it felt like most of those various plot strands had been tied-up in the last Weather Warden novel (<i>Thin Air</i>), this proves NOT to be the case, as the backlash from those events continue on in this. In addition, Joanne has to deal with sorting out the details to her wedding to the Djinn leader David (a wedding that some in the Wardens and other Djinn are none to pleased about), as well coping with inquisitive reporters who are now investigating the Wardens.
To my mind, this novel comes across as the 'entry point' to a whole new Weather Warden story, with <i>Thin Air</i>] wrapping up the 'old' story. You would probably still need to read those books first, though!
So far in this series she's been marked (literally) for Death, died and been re-born again as a Djinn, lost her Djinn-hood, survived the war Warden/Djinn war and the subsequent Djinn Civil War, and suffered from a severe case of amnesia.
While it felt like most of those various plot strands had been tied-up in the last Weather Warden novel (<i>Thin Air</i>), this proves NOT to be the case, as the backlash from those events continue on in this. In addition, Joanne has to deal with sorting out the details to her wedding to the Djinn leader David (a wedding that some in the Wardens and other Djinn are none to pleased about), as well coping with inquisitive reporters who are now investigating the Wardens.
To my mind, this novel comes across as the 'entry point' to a whole new Weather Warden story, with <i>Thin Air</i>] wrapping up the 'old' story. You would probably still need to read those books first, though!
David McK (3600 KP) rated The Legion (Eagle, #10) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The latest in Simon Scarrows Roman series of books (that initially all had the word 'Eagle' somewhere in the title), this follows on fromt he events of 'The Gladiator' and can be seen as concluding the plot line first began in 'Centurion'.
Unlike 'The Gladiator', however, I reckon it would be possible (maybe not advisable, but possible) to read this as stand-alone: although reference is made to previous events, they aren't quite as central to the story in this book as the events in 'Centurion' are to 'The Gladiator'. This particular novel is set in Egypt - Rome's bread-basket - and follows Cato (who, for the first time in the series as a whole, has more responsibility than Macro) and Macro's search to hunt down the renegade Gladiator Ajax, who escaped from Crete at the end of the previous novel. As before, when you pick up one of these books: you pretty much know what to expect - bloody battles, a little bit of suspense, and a few loose ends for the sequels ...
Unlike 'The Gladiator', however, I reckon it would be possible (maybe not advisable, but possible) to read this as stand-alone: although reference is made to previous events, they aren't quite as central to the story in this book as the events in 'Centurion' are to 'The Gladiator'. This particular novel is set in Egypt - Rome's bread-basket - and follows Cato (who, for the first time in the series as a whole, has more responsibility than Macro) and Macro's search to hunt down the renegade Gladiator Ajax, who escaped from Crete at the end of the previous novel. As before, when you pick up one of these books: you pretty much know what to expect - bloody battles, a little bit of suspense, and a few loose ends for the sequels ...
David McK (3600 KP) rated The Once and Future King (The Once and Future King #1-4) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
One of the classics of English literature, and so can be (at times) a heavy read. That's not to say that it isn't enjoyable: it is.
The novel follows the life of King Arthur and is split into four distinct 'books', from his early upbringing through to his ascension to the throne in "The Sword in the Stone" (the Disney version of which is surprisingly accurate), to the early days of his reign and his unknowingly incestuous relationship with half-sister in "The Queen of Air and Darkness", through the Arthur/Lancelot/Guinivere love triangle and the Quest for the Holy Grail in "The Ill Made Knight" and finally ending with the latter days of his reign and the war against Mordred in "The Candle in the Wind".
I have to say as well that as the stroy progresses, the novel also gets steadily more and more serious, actually starting out quite amusing before becoming darker and darker: as such, it's no surprise Disney only adopted the first part of the book for the silver screen!
The novel follows the life of King Arthur and is split into four distinct 'books', from his early upbringing through to his ascension to the throne in "The Sword in the Stone" (the Disney version of which is surprisingly accurate), to the early days of his reign and his unknowingly incestuous relationship with half-sister in "The Queen of Air and Darkness", through the Arthur/Lancelot/Guinivere love triangle and the Quest for the Holy Grail in "The Ill Made Knight" and finally ending with the latter days of his reign and the war against Mordred in "The Candle in the Wind".
I have to say as well that as the stroy progresses, the novel also gets steadily more and more serious, actually starting out quite amusing before becoming darker and darker: as such, it's no surprise Disney only adopted the first part of the book for the silver screen!
David McK (3600 KP) rated Excalibur: The Legend of King Arthur in Books
Jan 30, 2019
If I'm honest, I'm not really that much of a graphic novel/comic book kinda guy: I usually prefer to let my imagination do the work rather than have it 'shown' to me (which is also why I don't always like TV/movie adaptations).
Having said that, I thought I would give this one a go anyway. A retelling of the Arthurian legend, this takes in pretty much all the main characters and events of that legend, but not necessarily all how I was familiar with them (it involves the seelie/unseelie (i.e. faeries) which I don't remember ever having been part of the legend before).
Starting with Arthur's conception and ending with his 'death' at Badon Hill, the novel also glosses over some of the less savory actions that Arthur is supposed to have carried out (ref Tristan and Isolde).
An OK read, and while yes, I may pick up some of the others in the series, this failed to really change my perception of graphic novels as a whole.
Having said that, I thought I would give this one a go anyway. A retelling of the Arthurian legend, this takes in pretty much all the main characters and events of that legend, but not necessarily all how I was familiar with them (it involves the seelie/unseelie (i.e. faeries) which I don't remember ever having been part of the legend before).
Starting with Arthur's conception and ending with his 'death' at Badon Hill, the novel also glosses over some of the less savory actions that Arthur is supposed to have carried out (ref Tristan and Isolde).
An OK read, and while yes, I may pick up some of the others in the series, this failed to really change my perception of graphic novels as a whole.
David McK (3600 KP) rated The Commodore in Books
Apr 27, 2020
Fourth published but chronologically the ninth of CS Forester's Hornblower series of novels, this is the one that is set mainly in and around the Baltic, starting with Hornblower's investiture as Lord of the Manor alongside his second wife, lady Barbara (nee) Wellesley - yes, of that Wellesley name - and with his sole surviving toddler son from his first marriage.
Finding shore life stifling, dull and tedious, Hornblower is (secretly) relieved when he receives a summons from the Admiralty, and is sent off to the Baltic to shore up Britain's interests and (hopefully) stop further French incursion into Sweden and Russia.
As such, this is thus set before Napoleon's disastrous (for the French!) Russian campaign, with the starts of that campaign occurring in the latter pars of this novel: a novel which takes in court intrigue (even meeting the Russian Tsar), sea battles, unusual sailing vessels (the bomb ketches) and land battles before its denouement - a denouement that will see Hornblower return back to Blighty before his next mission.
Finding shore life stifling, dull and tedious, Hornblower is (secretly) relieved when he receives a summons from the Admiralty, and is sent off to the Baltic to shore up Britain's interests and (hopefully) stop further French incursion into Sweden and Russia.
As such, this is thus set before Napoleon's disastrous (for the French!) Russian campaign, with the starts of that campaign occurring in the latter pars of this novel: a novel which takes in court intrigue (even meeting the Russian Tsar), sea battles, unusual sailing vessels (the bomb ketches) and land battles before its denouement - a denouement that will see Hornblower return back to Blighty before his next mission.
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