The Bookmark

Jack Reacher #5

by Lee Child

I'd recently seen a promo for a series (or series of movies?) on a disc I'd borrowed.  Curiously, when I searched for Jack Reacher at the library, among the list of books that was displayed was a volume containing books 1 through 6.  I'd read some Reacher books but didn't remember where I'd left off in the series, so I decided to borrow it. What a surprise when the app took me to the Free Library of Philadelphia for the book!

I picked up the series at Echo Burning, which is set in Texas and addresses domestic violence.  Carmen is caught is a trap.  She can't run because she has a young daughter and is living with her in-laws.  Her husband has been in prison for tax evasion, but is due to be released soon, and she dreads having to face his abuse again, which he explains away as Carmen's clumsiness and riding accidents.  She picks up Jack Reacher, who is thumbing a ride, and who looks big enough and rough enough to perhaps solve her problem.

The book is full of twists and turns, the author had me guessing who to believe--the Greer family or Carmen, and like many small towns, law enforcement is not really a factor.  I became so involved in the book, and in the characters dealing with the scorching-hot Texas sun, that when I emerged from its pages, I was surprised to find it was cold here!

by Henry Morton Stanley

This is not a book I would ordinarily have been interested in.  I stumbled across it at the local library online and it piqued my interest, so I checked it out.  However, after 30 pages, I realized that it suffered from 'woke' editing, though the description gave no indication that it had been edited or abridged, and at over 500 pages, I hardly thought so.

Since I'd become interested in Stanley's journal, I searched for an UNedited Kindle edition at Amazon.com, found one for a mere 99 cents, and returned the 'woke' version to the library.  The unedited volume contained many pages of Stanley's descriptions and opinions of various peoples and cultures in and around the Middle East, especially those in Zanzibar, where he spent a great deal of time preparing for his journey.  I appreciated being able to read the journal as originally penned.

Why was Stanley engaged in this expedition?  He was a newspaper journalist who was contacted by the owner of the New York Tribune, who made one demand: FIND LIVINGSTONE!

The explorer had not been heard from for a number of years and was generally assumed to be dead.  If he discovered that Livingstone were indeed dead, Stanley was ordered to bring back as many proofs of his death as could be obtained.  If he were to find the man alive, he was to provide whatever supplies he needed.  He was given an unlimited expense account, asked to stop by the grand opening of the Suez Canal (That puts it in some perspective, doesn't it?!), make a number of other stops along the way, and then prepare an expedition to travel to Central Africa in search of Livingstone.

It is imperative that the reader remember that Stanley set out with his caravan in 1870, when Africa was largely unsettled and consisted of many small tribes ruled by 'sultans' and warlords, who demanded 'tribute' from anyone passing through their village, and that, for the most part, the journey had to be made on foot.

The journal includes Stanley's account of the time he spent with Dr. Livingstone, as well as Livingstone's account of his search for the source of the Nile.  I found the journal quite fascinating!  It is well worth your time.

SPOILER ALERT!

Excerpt from Chapter XI:

In the meantime, the head of the Expedition had halted, and the kirangozi was out of the ranks, holding his flag aloft, and Selim said to me, “I see the Doctor, sir.  Oh, what an old man!  He has got a white beard.”  And I – what would I not have given for a bit of friendly wilderness, where, unseen, I might vent my joy in some mad freak, such as idiotically biting my hand; turning a somersault, or slashing at trees in order to allay those exciting feelings that were well-nigh uncontrollable.  My heart beats fast, but I must not let my face betray my emotions, lest it shall detract from the dignity of a white man appearing under such extraordinary circumstances.

So I did that which I thought was most dignified.  I pushed back the crowds, and, passing from the rear, walked down a living avenue of people, until I came in front of the semicircle of Arabs, before which stood the “white man with the grey beard.”

As I advanced slowly towards him I noticed he was pale, that he looked wearied and wan, that he had grey whiskers and moustache, that he wore a bluish cloth cap with a faded gold band on a red ground round it, and that he had on a red-sleeved waistcoat, and a pair of grey tweed trousers.

I would have run to him, only I was a coward in the presence of such a mob – would have embraced him, but that I did not know how he would receive me; so I did what moral cowardice and false pride suggested was the best thing – walked deliberately to him, took off my had, and said:

“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

“Yes,” said he, with a kind, cordial smile, lifting his cap slightly.

by Matthew Mather

A cosmic event catches the world unaware—or does it?  Are there those who knew about the event that would change life on Earth?  Why is the hypernova behaving so erratically?  Is the mysterious tech research settlement deep in the Amazon known as The Colony to blame for some of the strange occurrences?

I couldn't put this one down.  Mather creates complex characters and edge-of-your-seat action.  He takes known science, pushes it just a bit farther, and makes you believe in the possibilities he creates.

I was curious to read what Mr. Patterson had to say about himself and his stories.  He's a paradox to me.  A few of his books I've loved, yet I can't abide his popular Alex Cross series.  And I found the recounting of his years in the advertising business a real bore.

Patterson was raised in the Roman Catholic church, and he can't seem to differentiate between religion and faith.  In fact, he freely admits that he has no personal experience with God, isn't sure He (or in his words, 'She or They') actually exists, but he is sure that God isn't interested in long conversations with him.  He has no patience with those who hold firm beliefs and believes that everyone should be 'open-minded' and flexible.  As I've long suspected, Patterson leans left and embraces all that entails, including belief in climate change.

Patterson and I have vastly different world views and so have very little in common.

by Prince Harry

I pre-ordered this book in December, because I knew I'd want to read it.  The price then was exactly the same as it is now; the 'half-price' business was a marketing ploy, one which many people were too clueless to see through.

The British tabloids and so-called 'royal experts' have had such a field day with Harry and Meghan.  According to them, they couple can do nothing right.  If they don't attend an event, they're snubbing the British, but if they do attend the event, they're hogging the spotlight.  If the couple walk down the street holding hands, as they're accustomed to do at home, the press reports that Meghan is gripping Harry with 'super-glue strength'.  If they don't hold hands, they're apparently alienated.  In other words, as we say around here, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

I thought it would be nice to shut down the 'royal experts' and the tabloids and read Harry's version of events.

I was surprised at how well-written the book is.  It may well have been written by a ghost writer, but Harry's personality and heart is evident throughout the book.  This isn't an attempt to whitewash him, for he freely admits to his mistakes, even the stupid ones.  This book is simply an attempt to tell his story, without the British tabloids or the royal family placing their slant on it.

I found it refreshing.

I came away with a few interesting—and surprising—impressions, foremost of which is that Britain, in general, is intrinsically racist.  More specifically, they're scared to death of introducing 'inferior' DNA into the royal bloodline.  Heaven forbid that a member of royalty should have the wrong shade of skin!

The second, and perhaps more surprising, is the extent to which the royals allow their staffers to run things.  Members of the staff defy their employers' wishes, even their specific instructions—behind their backs, of course—and with their backstabbing, gossip, and 'leaks' to the press, manage to keep things in a state of upheaval.

by Arthur Conan Doyle

I wasn't able to find cover art for the version I read, but this will do nicely.

The book begins by talking about Dr. Watson's medical training and military service, then segues into his introduction to Sherlock Holmes and his observations of the detective, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

When Holmes receives a note from a couple of Scotland Yard detectives requesting his assistance at a crime scene, Dr. Watson accompanies him.  Both Watson and I were confounded by the tidbits that Holmes collects in what appears to be a room devoid of clues.

Unlikely Partners, Book 1

by Sandra Sookoo

I have no idea how I ended up with this tedious little book on my Kindle app.  A freebie, perhaps?

The author seems to think that FBI agents take orders from their superiors at Ft. Meade and go around blurting out that they're a 'special agent with the NSA'—you know, the agency that's so secret that it's jokingly referred to as 'No Such Agency'.  Trust me, Ms. Sookoo, if you're employed with the NSA, no one will ever know.  You certainly don't go around broadcasting the fact!

The author can't seem to decide which agency her protagonist works for and is clueless about how those agencies operate.  In my humble opinion, she should choose a different subject.

Alex Cross #3

by James Patterson

I read the first book in this series and didn't care for it, but since the character is so popular, I thought I'd give it another chance.  Having read the book, I still don't like the protagonist and can't understand the popularity of this series.

In this volume, a couple of murderers who call themselves Jack and Jill are killing high-profile, well-known people in the Washington DC area, leaving a brief poem with each victim.  A secondary plot is the murder of children in a black neighborhood, students at an elementary school in Alex Cross's neighborhood.

The plot is interesting and well-presented.  Patterson's a good writer.  I just don't like most of the characters.  Or the setting.  Or the fact that most of the characters are so foul-mouthed.

Rust & Relics, Book 2

by Lindsay Buroker

The second installment of the Rust & Relics fantasy series finds our team of misfits in Sedona, Arizona, where another monster has been killing people with poison-filled 'thorns'.  Of course, our little group must investigate the area and discovers that one of the portals for which the area is famous has been left open.  Naturally, they need to find a way to defeat the extraterrestrial monster that has emerged from another dimension and then close the portal.

Delia's geeky sidekick Simon is not only a computer wiz, but also a gung-ho sci-fi fan who can cite a Star Trek episode to apply to every situation.

Rust & Relics, Book 1

by Lindsay Buroker

Delia graduated with a degree in archaeology, but imagined herself more of an Indiana Jones than someone who sat in a cubicle cataloging rocks.  So with her best friend Simon, a geek who's a whiz with computers, she explores Arizona's caves and abandoned mines in search of 'treasures' to sell on eBay.  While exploring an old mine, they hear sudden screams, then discover a decapitated body and are chased out of the mine by something large that they'd rather not encounter face to face.  The only ones who seem to know what's going on are a couple of unusual bikers who speak an unknown language and don't seem to be quite human.

by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

I'd borrowed the first disc of season one of the TV series from Netflix and found it questionable.  So much of it just didn't make sense.  In the opening sequence, we're told that since man has hunted animals, had been running the planet into the ground, and has taken civilization to the point of destroying the world, the animals have taken a stand and decided, 'No more!'  All over the world, animals rise up and turn against humans.  Okay. . . but if that's the premise, what followed didn't make sense.

When I discovered that the TV series was based (loosely!) on a Patterson book, I borrowed the book from Philadelphia and was immediately enthralled by the fast-moving plot.

I'm familiar with Patterson's style, but not his co-author's, therefore I assumed that the chapters packed with ridiculous metaphors were the work of his co-author.

The book bore little resemblance to what I'd seen on TV and focused less on sensationalism and more on the scientists who were trying to discover what had changed in the space of a generation that had caused animals to turn against humans. Of course, that wouldn't make very exciting TV for the audience CBS was trying to attract.

by Jonathan Cahn

The first part of this book is a primer to explain to a modern society which thinks itself too sophisticated to believe in God or demons and that the ancient gods of Greece and Rome weren't mere myths, but spiritual beings who controlled societies.

With the appearance of Yeshua/Jesus, and the spread of Christianity, these gods lost control of vast regions of the Earth.  But when modern society began to turn away from God, they were able to gain a foothold in those societies.  Cahn uses Jesus' parable of the demoniac to compare pre-Christian and post-Christian societies.

A pre-Christian society may produce a Caligula or a Nero.  But a post-Christian civilization will produce a Stalin or a Hitler….

A pre-Christian nation may erect an altar of human sacrifice.  But a post-Christian nation will build Auschwitz.

The blurb calls this an 'explosive' book, and I suppose it is to those who are not aware of the spiritual world.  Many will no doubt denounce it as fantasy or imagination.  But to those who are aware that what is happening today is not simply a culture war, but a reintroduction of the ancient gods that were granted a foothold when this nation turned away from God, it's an enlightened look at the forces behind the push for 'wokeness' and acceptance of sexual perversion.

Pendergast #4

by Preston & Child

Another Pendergast novel.  This time, Special Agent Pendergast is trying to solve a string of murders in a small Kansas town.  One thing I learned from the descriptions of Kansas is that I'd never want to live there.  I was born and raised in the ridge-and-valley region of the northern Appalachians, and I'm used to seeing low mountains on every side.  Whenever I travel to flat country, be it Ohio or Texas or simply southern Pennsylvania, I miss the mountains and can hardly wait to see them again.  In the plains of Kansas, where the roads are thin threads of asphalt through endless fields of tall corn, you can see for miles.  I'd find that appallingly boring!

Anyway, I think the authors slipped up in this one.  Although the first couple of murders are satisfyingly mystifying, it is soon apparent who the murderer is, and so the final resolution came as no surprise.

Pendergast #2

by Preston & Child

This novel is a follow-up of Relic, in whose closing pages we learned that Greg Kawakita had preserved a bit of the lily upon which the Museum Beast fed, was growing vast amounts of it, and had been conducting experiments with the drug it produced.

When strangely-deformed corpses begin to appear, the medical examiner is unable to explain them, and an investigation ensues.  Rumors arise among the homeless underground communities that a new section of the underground has been colonized by strange, fearsome creatures, known as the Wrinklers.  Could they be the source of the increasingly brutal murders?

This fast-paced thriller takes the reader on a ride through New York's underground, where surprises abound.

A William Monk Novel

by Anne Perry

This novel is set in Victorian-era London.  The protagonist is Commander William Monk, the Commander of the Thames River Police. The story involves the supposed suicide of a doctor who was studying the problems of readily-available opium at nearly every shop, and the subsequent murder of a woman he was known to visit once a month.

This mystery was riveting—until halfway through the book.  Then, the author thought it necessary not only to inform the reader of the history of the Opium Wars, but to go on and on about England's shameful part in what she contends is the destruction of the Chinese people.

Jeremy Logan #6

by Lincoln Child

I was on the hold list for a little over a month and was still only second in line when, suddenly, I received a notification from the library that the book was available to borrow.  Someone must have become impatient and dropped off the list!  Woo-hoo!

In the world of technology, new developments are happening every day.  One huge conglomerate is about to roll out a next-gen VR device that is light-years ahead of the competition.  Suddenly, the corporate lawyer receives an untraceable message from an unnamed entity threatening death and mayhem unless their demands are met.  Who are the blackmailers?  How have they breached the tight security of the massive corporation?  And will they really carry out their threat?  When three board members die under mysterious circumstances, enigmalogist Jeremy Logan is called in to find and stop the extortionists.

As in all Child's thrillers, there are lots of red herrings, misdirection, and threats emerging from unexpected places.  He nearly lost me in the last VR sequence.

Pendergast #1

by Preston & Child

In this thriller, we are introduced to FBI Agent Pendergast, though we don't meet him until chapter 14.

The New York Museum of Natural History is planning a big celebration to introduce their new exhibit, Superstition, and there's no way they'll let a few grisly murders interfere with their big bash.  So when the police lieutenant and Agent Pendergast order the gala postponed until after the murderer is found, the museum director picks up the phone and dials Albany to call in a few favors.  As a result, the gala goes on as planned, and the result is an unmitigated disaster.