Review: Split Second

Split Second by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The plot was a bit convoluted and far fetched, but I like the characters of King and Maxwell. I think they work well together and make for good partners. Baldacci always does a good job of building suspense and keeping the reader engaged and wanting to know what is going to happen.

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Review: Robert B. Parker's Fool's Paradise

Robert B. Parker's Fool's Paradise by Mike Lupica
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked want Coleman brought to the Stone series: he pushed Stone in new directions. Lupica picks this up, but just isn't quite as capable as Coleman. Lupica is good; and the story is enjoyable. He's not though really able to push Stone. He's taken what Parker and Coleman have done and can continue it, but not as likely to do much more. It's hard to pinpoint, but Coleman, like Parker, was able to balance the action, plot, and introspection. Lupica doesn't seem to hit this balance right. I noticed the same thing in his Sunny novels (which doesn't bode well for Spenser that he's recently taken over).

One thing that bugs me about Lupica's style is that there are far too many "he said" "she said" "Stone said, Molly said." Need some of that, but not after almost line of dialogue. On the audio, it's very distracting.

I liked having more Molly; there is a lot to develop with her the way Coleman expanded Suits.

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Review: Robert B. Parker's The Bitterest Pill

Robert B. Parker's The Bitterest Pill by Reed Farrel Coleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Coleman brings his noir-style Stone to its fullest expression in this one. There were some dark moments, some good twists, and red herrings. I really like Coleman's Stone. I wish he was continuing with the series, I would have like to see where he took it. He didn't try to imitate Parker's style but staying true to the core.

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Review: Robert B. Parker's Colorblind

Robert B. Parker's Colorblind by Reed Farrel Coleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a really interesting Stone novel: several interesting, though not entirely surprising, twists here. Coleman continues to push the series in new directions and I like it.

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Review: Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse

Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse by Thomas Chatterton Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a pretty wide ranging book, especially for its length, that covers a period of recent history and the convulsions of that time. It is an important book to mark and document much of the craziness of that period: roughly from the election of Obama to the Hamas genocidal attack of Oct 7. Williams examines the election and responses to Obama's election, the rise of Trump, COVID, George Floyd and BLM, the loss of objectivity and standards in journalism, cancel culture, Jan 6, and Oct 7.

Williams does a good job of laying things out. He is deeply knowledgeable, careful, and nuanced in his presentations. He is a wonderful writer; and reads his text perfectly for the audio. But the main failing of the book is that Williams doesn't do enough to draw the underlying threads of these trends into any thing approaching a unified set of explanations or diagnosis; and so he fails also to offer much of prescription for what ails. It is a good time capsule of book (which is important) but doesn't offer that much beyond that.

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Review: Hunting Badger

Hunting Badger by Tony Hillerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed how Hillerman brought Leaphorn and Chee together here: each working their side of the mystery and then coming together towards the end. There was something missing here though; it is not one of Hillerman's best. Just seemed to be lacking much substance; the plot and mystery are rather basic. This feels more like a set up for Leaphorn and Chee working together more; as well as set up for their future relationships with the professor and officer Bernie (respectively). Still an enjoyable read.

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Review: Robert B. Parker's The Hangman's Sonnet

Robert B. Parker's The Hangman's Sonnet by Reed Farrel Coleman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like Coleman's interpretation of the Stone series, and I enjoyed this novel. However, something felt a bit off for me. Maybe it was how heavy Stone's drinking became; Parker always made it a point that Stone's drinking was there, an issue, but never went too far. Maybe that wasn't realistic, and Coleman's extension makes sense. And it makes sense within the context of the plot too. Nevertheless...

There is a small cameo from the Parker-verse that I felt was a bit forced and not necessary. I like the idea, but it needs to fit better.



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Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Full-Cast Edition)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Full-Cast Edition) by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What great fun to listen to the full-cast edition! I really enjoyed being back at Hogwarts. The full-cast performance was excellent: it was immersive, like an old-time radio show. My only criticism is that the voice for Snape was not quite right, but otherwise it was great.

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Review: One Fearful Yellow Eye

One Fearful Yellow Eye by John D. MacDonald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

McGee does his thing but in Chicago instead of Florida. It's got all the McGee story elements that readers enjoy. His two page tangent to rip into Chicago as a city is hilarious.


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Review: Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global

Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global by Laura Spinney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a really interesting book that explores the theories about how Proto-Indo-European got its start and spread out. The author looks at archaeological, genetic, linguistic, and other sources to help tell the story and explain the theories. It doesn't go into any great detail; so it is a great general audience overview. If you are looking for more detail about the historical linguistics or other data, David Anthony's The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World seems to get more into that.

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Review: Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic): Star Wars: The High Republic, Book 6

Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic): Star Wars: The High Republic, Book 6 by Charles Soule
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This closes the chapter on the High Republic. The book is stronger than many in the series; though probably longer than it needed to be. It closes out the story lines well, and I did find the last third of the book to be far more engaging than the rest.

The High Republic books were, at best, uneven. Never bad, but also not ones I was ever enthralled with. This was an intricate multi generational story with many different points of view told a new, and in some ways refreshing Star Wars story. This wasn't a rehashing or retelling of the Skywalker Saga. The dynamics of the Jedi, the Republic, and the Nihil were very different. It provides some interesting perspectives and questions about the Jedi order and Republic as we get closer to the Skywalker Saga era. Besides uneven writing, my main issues were: (1) they should have gone back farther in time; (2) the Nihil were either too much of a stereotypical brainless pirate or where criminal geniuses of epic proportions; and (3) the new Jedi characters were general too bland or generic.

I think they should have gone back farther to give much more breathing space for the story. I never mind having Yoda around, but I think it would have been far more interesting if Yoda was young. The technology is for the most part familiar and the same.

The Nihil were just never that believable as a great enemy. As brainless, nihilistic pirates just out for mayhem they can be scary, but not much of a match for the Jedi. On the other hand, Ro as a villain is too powerful. His foresight and power is just too much for a non-force-wielder. However, his motivations for the level of nihilism and evil are better explained here.

While there were a few Jedi I connected with, Burryaga and Bell stood out for me and Porter Engle and Elzar Mann were interesting, most of the rest were too generic as saintly warrior monks. I just never found myself that engaged with their stories.

I think there was tremendous potential with the High Republic; but it never quite got there. I enjoyed it but it could have been much better.



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Review: Romeo's Stand

Romeo's Stand by James Scott Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Romeo series is fun. I enjoy the philosophic references. I wish the philosophy he discusses played more of a role in the plot, rather than being more or less just a part of Romeo's quirky character. That said, at least one part of the philosophy he mentions does play a small role here. There were a few plot holes and unresolved points, but overall a fun read.

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Review: The Range Detectives

The Range Detectives by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this; a mix of the western and mystery genres. The ah-shucks banter between the two main characters was a bit much at times, but overall I enjoyed it nonetheless.

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Review: Robert B. Parker's Debt to Pay

Robert B. Parker's Debt to Pay by Reed Farrel Coleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I continue to enjoy Coleman's version of Stone. I liked how he picked up and closed some of the threads from Robert B. Parker's Blind Spot. The mystery had several twists and turns; it kept you thinking. Coleman captures Stone very well; and I like the edge Coleman brings to the books. The narrator is excellent.

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Review: The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible

The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible by Matti Friedman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating story about the history of the Codex and the mystery of what happened to it. The codex was in an Aleppo synagogue for centuries before anti-Jewish riots broke out in Aleppo in 1947 and it was then smuggled into Israel. Friedman's investigation focuses mostly on what happened between the burning of the synagogue and it's resurfacing in Israel. Along the way, much of the codex went missing. Friedman's book strongly points, tragically and ironically, to the theft of these pages.

The book was not quite the "thrilling mystery" some of the blurbs promise, but I enjoyed the book and learned a lot. That said, of all of Friedman's book, this is probably my least favorite.

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