Avid Reader
Trying this out. I may or may not move from Goodreads.
I enjoyed this, although I do wish that more romance novels would show something other than the standard 'happily ever after with 2.5 kids' ending.
Gabriel Lacey is always an enjoyable character, but these two short stories sometimes fall into the telling, rather than showing, category.
A Body in Berkeley Square (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries #5)
This series is addictive. I really need to slow down, or I'll be caught up and have to --gasp!--wait for the next book to come out. I must admit, the back and forth between James Denis and Capt. Lacey is getting a bit tiring, hence the four star rating,rather than five. Denis /never/ loses, and it's irritating watching Lacey squirm because Denis has information he needs. I'm wondering if/when Lacey will have to completely sell out to Denis in order to gain some vital piece of the current puzzle he's investigating.
Aside from that, Body in Berkeley Square is another quick, entertaining read. I've already started the next in the series.
I'm really enjoying this series. The only danger is that I'll catch up to the author and end up tapping my toes for the next release. :)
Not as good as the first two, but still fun. I really wish Goodreads had half-stars.
A pleasant enough rendition, although I hope that BF focuses on creating new Holmes stories, rather than just putting the canon into audio form. There have been (and, doubtless, will be) various interpretations of these stories. I think that if their Holmes line is to survive, the BF team needs to focus on new material. They certainly have the writers to do it.
I was quite impressed with this first novel. Captain Lacey is a genuinely honorable protagonist--sometimes /too/ honorable, which gets him into no end of trouble. I enjoyed seeing the seedier side of London in the Regency area. Lacey isn't rich, far from it. His time in the Napoleonic War hasn't done him any favors, either, leaving him with a damaged leg and a severe case of melancholia. He is, perhaps, a bit better off in his choice of friends:
Lucius Grenville is a gentleman with a lot of money and curiosity to spare. Lacey isn't quite sure if Grenville's friendship is really all it's cracked up to be, but the gentleman's connections are useful.
Louisa and Col. Brandon: Lacey's former commanding officer, and now bitter enemy. The enmity between them isn't fully explained, which leads me to hope that there will more revealed in later books. I got the sense that Lacey may be in love with Louisa, although he seems to put women on pedestals, so I can't be sure.
James Denis: Not a friend. A shady underworld character whom Lacey despises. He has useful contacts as well, although Lacey hates working with him.
Plus a motley assortment of beggars, street girls, and people of questionable morals.
I truly enjoyed this book. It moved at a fast pace, and kept me engaged(which is not an easy thing to do, given the size of my TBR pile). It was refreshing to explore the lives of people who are not of the gentry.
There's a risk that Lacey's chivalry may begin to grate, but we'll see. As for now, I'm looking forward to the next installment of the series.
The Mind's Eye (Doctor Who)
I enjoyed this quite a bit. It was an interesting look into Peri and Erimem's psyches. I only wish that they could have come up with something a little more original than the old 'an alien life form alters Our Heroes' behavior in some way' trope.I continue to enjoy Peri as a character. Big Finish shows us that she /can/ be an interesting, relatable character, despite her less than stellar on screen appearances. It just goes to prove that it's all in the writing.
I'm surprised that they are telegraphing Erimem's exit so soon--in fact, they've been doing so it little ways throughout her series. I'll be sorry when I hear her last audio--the character really did add something to the dynamic in the TARDIS. Five, Peri and Erimem have become favorites of mine, quite by my own surprise.
I started The Kingmaker a while ago, and can't think why I haven't finished it before now. I really enjoy this Team TARDIS (Five/Peri/Erimem). Big Finish has managed to revive the historical in Doctor Who in a way that the series itself hasn't quite managed yet. I continue to be pleased with the Peri and Erimem friendship and there were a lot of great lines between them in this audio. Erimem's wildly differing views on death are intriguing, yet make total sense for her character. I wonder if Erimem's beliefs (and the friction they cause in her friendship with Peri), will ever come up again?
If I have one qualm about this audio, it's that the two separate timelines (one with the Doctor, the other with Peri and Erimem two years prior) were difficult to follow. The whole story takes place over that two year span, with the companions finally 'catching up' to the Doctor. So, what did they do for two years? Surely they couldn't have been neck deep in conspiracy the whole time? How long did they work at the tavern? How long were they prisoners in the Tower of London? A better indication of the passage of time was needed.
Despite this, I'm still giving The Kingmaker five stars. It raises a lot of good questions regarding fate and free will, and the Doctor's role as a champion of time.
I enjoyed this quite a lot. The sleuth in this series is actually Charlie Harris, not Diesel the cat. However, Diesel /was/ a presence, and I was pleased to see that the author made the cat intelligent, but not excessively so. I love my Maine Coon, too, but I don't think he'll be solving crimes anytime soon. ;)That being said, I appreciate Ms./Mr. James' attention to detail with regards to Coon personality traits. Diesel was charming to read about(However, I hope the next book doesn't mention Diesel's size quite so often. The first two times were enough. Yes, Coons are larger than the average house cat. I don't need to be told that every time someone new meets Diesel for the first time).
As for Charlie Harris, it was refreshing to read about a character who was simply a nice guy. Antiheroes--in all genres--are in these days, and while those types can be fun, sometimes it's a relief to have a protagonist who genuinely wants to help, without having to be dragged into it.
Overall, Murder Past Due was a good comfort read. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I enjoyed this, although I could see the plot points coming a mile away. However, for a novella, the characters were engaging, and the 'mad scientist' theme is always fun.
Dr Who Live 34 (DR WHO BIG FINISH)
I enjoyed this quite a lot. Sylvester McCoy and the rest of the cast were in fine form. The plot was intriguing and I liked the trick of telling the story through radio broadcasts. I would say, however, that the story didn't hit quite the right note with me.Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for a political tale. Given current events, I admit I'm not keen on a story which focuses on a corrupt government. All of the principles needed more to do, especially Hex.
That being said, Live 34 was much better executed than the similarly themed Fearmonger. Speaking of which, Live 34, while a much better play, does beg the question: "Haven't we been here before?" Is there something about the Seventh Doctor, in particular, that makes Big Finish sit up and say: "I know! Let's do a political thriller!"
I think I would have given Live 34 a full five stars if I had listened to it at another time. There is a lot to recommend it: Yaegar's abuse of the colonists is truly revolting, and, unlike in Fearmonger, I actually felt a sense of danger to Our Heroes. The story, in and of itself, was excellent.
I'm just anxious to hear a Seven Audio where he's /not/ toppling governments.
Currently reading
The Last Hour of Gann
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On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
The Hidden Family
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How to Write a Damn Good Mystery: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript
What Angels Fear
Miles, Mystery, and Mayhem
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
