The Years Of Rice And Salt

The Years Of Rice And Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson is a book highly recommended to me by a friend. It is an alternative history, asking what if... the plague killed off virtually all Western European Christians.

I notice that reviewers seem to either love the book or despise it. There seems to be very little middle ground. As for me, I'm separating from the herd and declaring it middling. I didn't find it to be a good book, nor a bad book; it has points of interest offset with terrible dullness.

I wouldn't read it again.

Jack Spade Nook Cover

This week I bought a new cover for my Nook. Barnes and Noble is running a great sale on designer covers and I couldn't resist a high-end leather cover by Jack Spade. Regularly priced at $195.00, it is on sale right now for $48.75.

The quality of this cover looks great, and it's just as impressive to see in real life as it is in the pictures on bn.com.

If you are looking for a cover of the highest quality and best design this seems like a perfect time.

The Charm School

I recently read The Charm School by Nelson DeMille. It's an old book set in the Soviet Union and depicting a struggle between American intelligence operatives and their KGB counterparts.

The Charm School is a quick and fun read perfect for anyone seeking to spend some time in the Cold War's 1980's period.

Fall Of Giants

This is a busy time of year for me, so it took longer than usual for a book of its size, but I recently finished Fall Of Giants by Ken Follett.

Mr. Follett is in my view one of the greatest writers of our time, and Fall Of Giants did not disappoint. A rich and vibrant novel with an important story to tell, I must give it my highest recommendation.

Crush

Over the weekend I read Crush by Alan Jacobson. It is a murder mystery set in the Napa Valley and exploring that area's wine industry.

Here's the thing, the book was very good, and as a wine aficionado, the descriptions of wineries were a great addition. That's the positive.

The negative is that the book had no ending. It just stopped. That was a letdown that will keep me from reading future books by the author. I presume that the book was stopped in such a way as to promise sequel sales. A cheap marketing ploy that I cannot accept.

How Evan Broke His Head And Other Secrets

I enjoyed The Art Of Racing In The Rain so much that I decided to try another book by the same author.

Last night I finished How Evan Broke His Head And Other Secrets by Garth Stein. It is an earlier novel than Racing, and I think not quite as good. That said, it was still a wonderful book that speaks well to the human condition. I am pleased to recommend it.

The Art Of Racing In The Rain

On the recommendation of a friend I read The Art Of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein.

I finished the book last night, and I have to say that it is the best book I have read in a very long time. Buy it, read it, you will not be disappointed.

Bullet (Anita Blake #19)

Just this morning I finished Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton. I've read every book in the series, but I'm not sure that I will continue. I loved reading about Anita Blake and her sexy friends from the very first book, but the last few just haven't seemed to be up to par.

As the series has continued there has been more and more sex with less and less plot. It is disappointing.

Don't get me wrong, I love reading about sex, but this series isn't billed as hardcore erotica. It should have, and is marketed as having, strong story along with the sex. The last few books just seem lacking.

What The Night Knows

Dean Koontz's latest book What The Night Knows is a fast paced, suspenseful, and enjoyable read. Quite Catholic in its outlook, I found it's subtle criticism of the modern church to be a bonus layered upon an otherwise non-serious story.

I always enjoy books by Koontz, but when he writes of the institutions that affect our lives his books truly shine. Dark Rivers Of The Heart comes to mind as an example.

I think that anyone who enjoys a good Koontz ghost story will enjoy What The Night Knows, but Roman Catholics might enjoy it just a bit more than others.

By Nightfall

By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham is the finest book I've read in a long time. The story of a disintegrating marriage, and its possible redemption, By Nightfall explores the human condition with a richness rarely encountered. It is a book that will make readers think, long after it has been finished. Very highly recommended.