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Out of the Dark

Robin Royston and Linda Caine

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As a contented wife and mother, Linda Caine has everything she ever wanted. Yet a darkness haunts...

David McK (3557 KP) rated Dark Prince (Greek Series, #2) in Books

Jul 25, 2020

Sequel to David Gemmell's earlier Lion of Macedon, with more emphasis on the mystical elements this time around: whereas that earlier novel was perhaps 90/10 in favour of history, this is (IMO) closer to 40/60.

As the novel starts, Alexander is but a 4 year old and Parmenion is out of favour with Philip of Macedon, who is jealous of the Spartan general's success in battle. Alexander is still plagued by the Chaos Spirit, and - at around the 1/4 mark - is magically transported into an alternate Greece, where the myths and monsters of Greek legend are all real. With a little help from Aristotle and the Siptrassi stones, Parmenion is soon off on a rescue mission, accompanied by Philip's assassin Attalus (without Philips knowledge). The bulk of this novel - parts 2 and 3 (of 4) - then takes place in that alternate Greece, with Parmenion - again - reliving his past and playing a key role in proceedings, before it returns to 'our' Greece for the final part of the novel.

As is standard for Gemmell, lots of musing on the nature of Good and evil throughout, and with a conflicted central protagonist.

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Billy Gibbons recommended Lightnin' And The Blues by Lightnin Hopkins in Music (curated)

"He released records on numerous labels, but this album was on the Herald imprint, and it features a song called Moving Out Boogie that alone is worth the price of admission. He kind of talks his way through it – it’s not really singing in the traditional sense – but the guitar playing could wake the dead. What he does in two and a half minutes on the guitar is enough to make you want to throw your fuzz and wah-wah pedals as far away as you can. Just toss 'em over the fence! If you can play Moving Out Boogie with even a third of the spirit of Lightnin’ Hopkins, then you just might have a chance. It’s the way to move, man. He played it like he wanted to play it. Our fair bassist, Dusty Hill, worked with Lightnin’ Hopkins a bit, and one time he said, ‘You know, Lightnin’, you seem to play in odd time signatures. One verse will be eight bars, and the next will be 10 bars.’ And Lightnin’ just said, ‘It don’t matter. Lightnin’ changes when Lightnin’ wants to change"

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