Reading not writing 2008 #3
I'm starting to read a bit more quickly now. :) So here's the next batch. I'll give a link to a longer review where I've written one on Only 2 Rs.
16. Death on the Holy Mountain by David Dickenson. This was quite interesting. It was subtitled as a Lord Francis Powerscourt mystery, not someone I've previously come across, but he's an aristocratic Victorian sleuth. On this occasion uncovering dastardly goings on in early Edwardian Ireland. It's a pity I've discovered this series so late as while it does stand on its own, there are lots of references to previous books. I quite enjoyed it and would certainly make the effort to dig out the first in the series.
17. Last Train to Kazan by Stephen Millar. This was great. I was really pleased last year when Millar commented on the review I did of his first book in the series, A Game of Soldiers.
18. The Sun King Rises by Yves Jego and Denis Lepee. I've reviewed this for Historical Novels review, but missed the deadline for the May edition so it won't be in until the summer. It was OK.
19. All Quiet on the Home Front by Richard Van Emden. As with all van Emden's books, this was well written, and very readable, going to the source for first hand accounts. Sadly it's likely to be one of the last of his WW1 books, for obvious reasons, unless he starts just rehashing previous research.
20. The Norman Invasion of Ireland by Richard Roche. I don't know anything about this period of history so this introductory book was very interesting. It wasn't too detailed or too long, although I did find the names of many of the Irish protagonists difficult - partly because I don't know how to pronounce them, and my eyes tend to glaze over them. I wonder if it was the lack of a strong central king (or strongish) which led to Ireland having essentially the same fate as Wales, because if you compare Scotland's history, although there was a similar influx of Normans our fate was different. I don't know it's just a thought.
16. Death on the Holy Mountain by David Dickenson. This was quite interesting. It was subtitled as a Lord Francis Powerscourt mystery, not someone I've previously come across, but he's an aristocratic Victorian sleuth. On this occasion uncovering dastardly goings on in early Edwardian Ireland. It's a pity I've discovered this series so late as while it does stand on its own, there are lots of references to previous books. I quite enjoyed it and would certainly make the effort to dig out the first in the series.
17. Last Train to Kazan by Stephen Millar. This was great. I was really pleased last year when Millar commented on the review I did of his first book in the series, A Game of Soldiers.
18. The Sun King Rises by Yves Jego and Denis Lepee. I've reviewed this for Historical Novels review, but missed the deadline for the May edition so it won't be in until the summer. It was OK.
19. All Quiet on the Home Front by Richard Van Emden. As with all van Emden's books, this was well written, and very readable, going to the source for first hand accounts. Sadly it's likely to be one of the last of his WW1 books, for obvious reasons, unless he starts just rehashing previous research.
20. The Norman Invasion of Ireland by Richard Roche. I don't know anything about this period of history so this introductory book was very interesting. It wasn't too detailed or too long, although I did find the names of many of the Irish protagonists difficult - partly because I don't know how to pronounce them, and my eyes tend to glaze over them. I wonder if it was the lack of a strong central king (or strongish) which led to Ireland having essentially the same fate as Wales, because if you compare Scotland's history, although there was a similar influx of Normans our fate was different. I don't know it's just a thought.