Books I've Read
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Practical Demonkeeping
Travis and his Demon come to Pine Cove--Travis to find a way to get rid of the Demon; the Demon to find a better master. Or mistress...
I wondered why there so much talk of the Polaroid back on the Nikon, but then I realized this was written in 1992, before digital SLRs.
Quote:
The small hours of the morning found them naked on the kitchen floor after Travis had played a rampaging Godzilla to Jennifer's unsuspecting Tokyo. -- (Pg. 149) Good stuff!
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8/2011Read:
6/2012
The Lust Lizard Of Melancholy Cove
A huge prehistoric beast finds its way to, where else, Pine Cove. Did I mention a HUNGRY prehistoric beast?
Words I Had To Look Up::
coldcocked (pg.2) -- To knock unconscious, but from whence does it come? First noted use 1918.
Sneaky Pete (pg. 8) -- The ol' booze bottle in the paper bag ploy, but in the novel it is a smokeless pot pipe.
...especially from fornication with woman or man... (pg. 32) -- One of a number of interesting things in the Hippocratic Oath.
two-tops (pg. 116) -- Tables at a restaurant that seat two people.
Ubermensch (pg. 235) -- Literally, "Superman". The ideal superior man of the future who could rise above conventional Christian morality to create and impose his own values, originally described by Nietzsche in Thus Spake Zarathustra.
Quote:::
...even brought in some paintball guns to try to gain the pupils' interest, but the latter only backfired into several incidents of drive-by abstract expressionism...(pg. 38) -- Love that sentence!
Smoke Quote::
Mavis moved behind the bar with a grim, if wobbly, determination, drinking coffee from a gargoyle-green mug while a Tarryton extra long dangled from her lips, dropping longs ashes down the front of her sweater like the smoking turds of tiny ghost poodles. -- (pg. 238) A good Smoke Quote is, uh, good to find!
Read:
8/2011
You Suck : A Love Story
This seems to be a sequel, a lot of back-story is recounted. Tommy is a new vampire in San Francisco, thanks to his hot girlfriend. It certainly is a change from Indiana, he says.
Words I Had To Look Up:
The Big Book Of Death (pg. 123) -- Described in the text as a how-to, but seems more of an encyclopedic on Amazon.
...smokin' one-handed H.O.R.S.E. player (pg. 218) -- A basketball game variation.
Quote:
They watched the coffee dripping out of the filter like they were distilling nitroglycerine (pg. 117)
Read:
8/2011
The Last Days Of Night
A fictional historical novel about the War of the Currents with Edison, Westinghouse, and Tesla as prominent characters, told from the point of view of Paul Cravath, a youngish lawyer. Very good!
Smoke Quote:
The physicians, more accustomed to gore, had lit cigarettes -- pg. 244Read:
10/2018
No Way
Frank Kitteridge #2. A fun quick read that clears up everything from the first book.
Read:
10/2023
One Way
Lifers in prison are trained and sent to Mars to establish a base in advance of NASA astronauts arrival.
Read:
10/2023
The Inquisitor's Apprentice
This alternate history (with magic!) that takes place in turn of the century New York was interesting, but I did not really connect with the characters. I am sure there will a sequel, at least, so I shall be waiting to see what develops.
Read:
7/2014
The Chaperone
A woman travels from Whichita (Kansas) to New York city chaperoning a young woman (Louise Brooks) attending a dance class there. Nicely written, and interesting, mixing fiction with actual people.
Read:
11/2017
Kedrigern chronicles: Vol. 1: The domesticated wizard
Kedrigern meets Princess in this collection of two novels and several short stories. Read it again, just for fun!
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12/2011Read:
4/2012Read:
9/2021
The Kendrigern chronicles vol. II: Dudgeon & Dragons
Two more novels and a bunch of short stories involving the wizard and Princess.
Read:
3/2006Words I Had To Look Up:
gleeman (pg. 323) -- an itinerant performer in the Middle Ages.
lavish in her panegyric (pg. 471) -- Formal or elaborate praise.
quondam sweet little child (pg. 566) -- At one time, formerly.
Quote:
Oaks tend to attract an odd crowd. (pg. 113) Don't they just!Read:
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9/2017Read:
9/2021
The Squire's Tale
Retelling of Gawain and Arthur from the point of view of Gawain's squire, Terence. My first impression was that there was a lot of chopping up of people for a middle school book.
Words I Had To Look Up:
carious teeth (pg. 58) -- Affected with cavities or decay.
Harridan (pg. 60) -- A woman regarded as scolding and vicious.
Fribble (pg. 60) -- A frivolous person.
recreant knight (pg. 66) unfaithful to duty or allegiance, cowardly.
vinaigrette (pg. 146) -- A small decorative bottle or container with a perforated top, used for holding an aromatic preparation such as smelling salts.
brangle (pg. 181) -- A wrangle; a squabble; a noisy contest or dispute.
Read:
2/2009
Grounded
The adventures of Rapunzel. I liked it. It took a good long while, but I liked it.
Read:
1/2016
Quite honestly
Budding do-gooder Lucy tries to rehabilite Terry, who just got out of prison.
Read:
8/2006
Rumpole Misbehaves
Rumpole defends a fellow accused of strangling a prostitute, Hilda decides to become a barrister, a young Timson is served an Anti-Social Behavior Order, and young Russian ladies are seen climbing out of packing crates.
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4/2008
Modern masterpieces Of Science Fiction
Twenty-one stories, mostly classics I've read before. Nice to see them again!
Read:
4/2005
Bad Boy Brawly Brown
Easy Rawlings help out a friend by looking for their son who is getting into trouble with Black militants in 1960's LA.
SMOKE QUOTE:
i inhaled deeply and my throat and lungs felt a strange cold burning all the way down. For a second I was afraid I'd been poisoned but then I realized that it was a mentholated cigarette.Read:
9/2002
Gone Fishin'
Easy goes to Pariah with his friend Mouse to get some money.
Read:
8/2018
Shadow
A young girl is assigned to protect the young Queen who has been foretold to die by her sixteenth birthday.
Read:
11/2010
Prodigal Child
A musician recalls the twists and turns of life that led him to success on the stage. A workmanlike telling, I found myself tearing up several times in the last third of the story. I think I am going to read it again. But, I still need to pay the author for the book!
Read:
5/2011
Lost In The Barrens
Two boys get separated from their hunting party in northern Canada and must survive the winter. Good thing they both have the skills.
Read:
5/2014
20 books displayed
[M.W. - Maguire] [Maguire - Marsden] [Marsh - Mass] [Mass - McBain] [McBain - McCrumb] [McCrumb - McDonald] [McFadden - Meyer] [Meyer - Montgomery] [Montgomery - Moore] [Moore - Mowat] [Muchamore - Mysterious Press]