Book Description
Praise for Rebecca Pawel:
"Pawel anchors a tense and exciting story with a terrific and complex plot."-Detroit Free Press
"[Pawel] turns the clock back to 1939 and Madrid's tumultuous past. . . . An intriguing juxtaposition of the political and the personal."-Kirkus Reviews
"An intriguing tale amid the gloom of war-torn Madrid. It is a humane and moving portrait of a divided people coming to grips with the virtues of enemies and the villainy of friends."-Dan Fesperman
Madrid 1939. Carlos Tejada Alonso y Leon is a Sergeant in the Guardia Civil, a rank rare for a man not yet thirty, but Tejada is an unusual recruit. The bitter civil war between the Nationalists and the Republicans has interrupted his legal studies in Salamanca. Second son of a conservative Southern family of landowners, he is an enthusiast for the Catholic Franquista cause, a dedicated, and now triumphant, Nationalist.
This war has drawn international attention. In a dress rehearsal for World War II, fascists support the Nationalists, while communists have come to the aid of the Republicans. Atrocities have devastated both sides. It is at this moment, when the Republicans have surrendered, and the Guardia Civil has begun to impose order in the ruins of Madrid, that Tejada finds the body of his best friend, a hero of the siege of Toledo, shot to death on a street named Amor de Dios. Naturally, a Red is suspected. And it is easy for Tejada to assume that the woman caught kneeling over the body is the killer. But when his doubts are aroused, he cannot help seeking justice.
Customer Reviews:
Much more than a mystery novel.......2007-08-08
You almost forget immediately that this book has been categorized into the mystery genre and has even won the Edgar Award for best mystery novel of the year. It could just as easily been categorized as a period piece, set during the Spanish Revolution, and focusing on a Republican family and a Nationalist investigating the death of a comrade.
The book does several things quite well. First, it increases ones interest in this mostly forgotten war (at least for Americans). It is understandable that American history generally ignores this war, since it occurred immediately before WWII began and during the rise of Hitler. However, there is still a lot to learn from this period of history and Pawel's objective view of both sides gives an interesting first glance at the historical significance.
Second, Pawel does a very good job showing the humanity of all of her characters in the midst of great tragedy. In my favorite section of the book, Inspector Tejada struggles with his feelings of distrust/suspicion and attraction/intrigue toward Elena Fernandez, a Republican (and therefore enemy) who is also a central figure in the family containing the accused killer. Tejada goes so far as to follow Elena home, his thoughts transcending those of an inspector simply following a suspect. The friction between the two is mostly one sided (coming from Tejada). However, it is a relationship with many facets including the obvious inspector/suspect, male/female. It also gives insight on the relationship between the powerful and the oppressed as well as the enemy who is also ones countryman.
Finally, I appreciate Ms. Pawel's ability to write a story directed at a smaller audience. She does not find it necessary to fill in all readers regarding the background of the story. She jumps right into the storyline and does not look back. I found this tact to sow interest in the historical backdrop of the story as discussed previously.
Overall, I would recommend this book, not just to fans of mystery novels, but also to those interested in historical novels, well written books and stories with rich characters.
Educational and a Thriller.......2006-08-28
It tells you a lot about this precursor to WWII. Who is the hero or anti-hero was a clever construction. From a Brooklyn person this book is remarkable.
What A Find.......2006-04-05
I picked up Rebecca Pawel's Death of a Nationalist in a random moment - it looked a bit moody and passed the judging-a-book-by-it's-cover test very nicely. My screeching 3 year old precluded more lengthy consideration - definitely a dash-and-grab raid. I've had a number of rather inspired finds through this dad with a mission approach. Well this is the best yet, what a stunner - I finished it in an evening and was desperate to move on to its sequel Law of Return which I dispatched just as swiftly. I've not had a chance to investigate Pawel further and know nothing of her but for a passing reference to her being a schoolteacher in Manhattan and young which seems an unlikely background, but... What most struck/impressed me was her ability to make a sympathetic hero out of a fascist guardia.She manages to make a hero of her villain while treading through the quagmire of the immediate post-civil war era in Spain - Hemmingway, Grahame Greene and Ian Rankin all somehow converge with a dash of something else I don't recognise - presumably Pawel!
Living nightmire.......2006-02-13
Young author Rebecca Pawel sets her debut novel in post-civil war Spain.Madrid is in ruins,people are starving,fascists are "cleaning"the streets from the"Reds".And average people,those who don't like neither nationalists nor communists are trapped in a living nightmare.This is a thoughtful,well written book and the author is not trying to give all the answers.
A good debut, but it could have been better.......2005-08-22
As a person with an immense interest in the Spanish Civil War, I was attracted to the "Death of a Nationalist." Even though the story is set after the Spanish Civil War, I wanted to read it and see how it would compare to other stories that took place during the same time period. Perhaps unfairly, I found myself judging it against Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms." While Rebecca Pawel is clearly a talented writer, her book just doesn't not come close to Hemingway's classic. Hemingway was closely familiar with the Spanish Civil War and was able to imbue some of his work with this knowledge. I was very disappointed that Ms. Pawel did not set up the context of the novel by briefly describing the Spanish Second Republic, the rise of the Franco-led Nationalists, the International Brigades, and the Spanish Civil War in the prologue. This would have greatly aided readers not familiar with this part of 20th century Spanish history. Had she done this, I think readers could more readily have sympathized with Gonzalo Llorente, and understood Tejada's and the Guardia Civil's animosity toward the Reds. Any student of the Spanish Civil War knows that opposition to the Nationalist was comprised of more than just socialist and communist elements. I think Pawel should have mentioned this in her novel.
I think the characters in the novel could have been better developed. I feel like I did not really know Gonzalo. I only knew he loved Viviana and opposed the Guardia Civil. We learn a little bit more of Tejada, but I wish we could have seen more development in his character. His decision to assist Llorente was sudden and I was not convinced that this was possible under the given circumstances.
Towards the end of the novel there is a careless error in translation of a phrase into Italian, albeit a minor one. Perhaps I am just being picky.
Rebecca Pawel is a talented writer and I am curious to see what her next novel will be like. However, if she decides to write another historical novel, I think she is going to have to do a little more research and incorporate necessary background information into it. As I said earlier, she has talent. Now all she has to do is refine it.
Average customer rating:
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Roger Casement in Death: Or, Haunting the Free State
W. J. McCormack
Manufacturer: University College Dublin Press
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Netaji antardhana rahasya o antarjatika cakranta
Nanda Mookerjee
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Rizal, martyr and hero
Rosario R Dumlao
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Product Description
Sweet Silver Blues: A war buddys death sends Garrett on a wild hunt for his mysterious heir, last seen in a vampire Nest which no mortal leaves alive. Bitter Gold Hearts: The Stormwardens son has been kidnapped, and Garrett must brave a host of ogres and assassins to rescue him. Cold Copper Tears: Theres a new cult in town: worshippers of a godlike Destroyer who think Garrett would make an ideal sacrifice!
Customer Reviews:
Great fun, loved it.......2006-08-18
Garrett Files combines the murder mystery and science fiction/fantasy genres. Add to the fact the writer includes a LOT of humour and you have three delightfully enjoyable books in one. The plots are easy to follow; the characters are fully developed, and very likeable. I liked these stories so much I immediately bought all the Garrett series:
Garrett, P.I. (3 book compilation)
Garrett Investigates (3 book compilation)
Garrett on the Case (2 book compilation)
Highly recommended.
Great detective/fantasy work, enjoyable set of books.......2006-06-23
This set of 3 books by Glen Cook does a lot to show the flexibility of this author, when contrasted with his Black Company series (I have yet to read the other series he has written). The three novels showcase the protagonist and his household in a number of lights, against enemies that are generally competent in their own right. Without spoilers, I felt that the detached resolution of book 3 was somewhat detached/anticlimatic, but overall this is a very enjoyable read.
Consolidation of the First Three Garrett Books.......2005-11-01
Since most of Cook's Garrett books are long out of print and very difficult to come by, you might end up having to buy this consolidation to find the individual stories. This book, "The Garrett Files," is the first of 3 consolidations (so far). The others are "Garrett, P.I." and "Garrett Investigates." This book contains the first three stories in the Garrett series: "Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," and "Cold Copper Tears." "Garrett, P.I." contains the next three: "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," and "Red Iron Nights." "Garrett Investigates" has the next three: "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat." The remaining two books ("Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols") still appear to be in print on their own. Regarding the physical book itself, I was very surprised by how good the quality was. When I was a youth I used to get books from the SFBC and the quality was less than stellar. This book appears well bound, has good quality paper, and is well cut. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what printing my book is. The date on this Amazon page is 2003. But, I can't find a date on mine anywhere (it's brand new). My cover is also different from the other one uploaded here (I've put a copy of mine here, too). Regardless, this is a very good book to have. As a pure average of my ratings for the three contained stories, I rate this book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. My individual reviews follow:
"Sweet Silver Blues:" Excellent Start of the Garrett Series. This is the first of Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent, humorous combination of Fantasy and early Detective novels (Raymond Chandler is the usual comparison). What always strikes me about this series, and especially this book (since it's the first), is how Cook's writing makes it feel like the world he's describing actually exists (and has existed for some time). It's like the history, geography, and people are THERE and he's merely opening a window to their world. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend to anyone who likes either Fantasy or Mystery. I rate it at 5 stars out of 5.
"Bitter Gold Hearts:" Very Good 2nd in the Garrett Series. This is the 2nd in Cook's Garrett series. It's a very good book, but isn't quite as good as the first in the series. The deficiency isn't anything major: it's just that I noticed a couple of the secondary characters whose personalities drastically changed from scene to scene (more so than the variability of human nature would allow). The additional role Cook gives to the Dead Man makes up for it, though. I rate it at a very good 4 stars out of 5.
"Cold Copper Tears:" An OK 3rd in Cook's Garrett Series. This is the 3rd in Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent book for the first 99%, but, unfortunately, the ending fizzles. Oh, Garrett and the Dead Man figure things out nicely. All the 'i's are dotted and all the 't's crossed. But, instead of involving us in the denouement, Cook relegates the final cleanup to a background role. It just lacks that visceral feeling of closure. Solely because of the ending, I can rate this book at only an OK 3 stars out of 5.
Book Description
It should have been a simple job. But for Garrett, a human detective in a world of gnomes, tracking down the woman to whom his dead pal Danny left a fortune in silver is no slight task. Even with the aid of Morley, the toughest half-elf around, Garrett isn't sure he'll make it out alive from a land where magic can be murder, the dead still talk, and vampires are always hungry for human blood.
Customer Reviews:
Mike Hammer meets Harry Potter.......2007-09-26
Sweet Silver Blues
Sweet Silver Blues is the first book in the Garrett Files collection. Garrett is a tough ex-marine private investigator in the mold of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. The series is set in a fantasy world that is quite amusing. His advisor is "the Dead Man" who is really not a man at all, but, oh never mind , buy this book, you'll want to read it several times.
Gunner September, 2007
1. Sweet Silver Blues (1987)
2. Bitter Gold Hearts (1988)
3. Cold Copper Tears (1988)
4. Old Tin Sorrows (1989)
5. Dread Brass Shadows (1990)
6. Red Iron Nights (1991)
7. Deadly Quicksilver Lies (1994)
8. Petty Pewter Gods (1995)
9. Faded Steel Heat (1999)
10. Angry Lead Skies (2002)
11. Whispering Nickel Idols (2005)
Science Fiction Book Club omnibus editions:
1. The Garrett Files (collects Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears; 2003)
2. Garrett, P.I. (collects Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows, and Red Iron Nights; 2003)
3. Garrett Investigates (collects Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, and Faded Steel Heat; 2004)
A Detective in the Warzone.......2007-08-26
Sweet Silver Blues (1987) is the first fantasy novel in the Garrett Files series. TunFaire is an old city, with the royalty and wizards uphill and the criminals downhill in the slums. Outside the city are the estates of the rich.
In this novel, Garrett is an ex-Marine who has spent five hard years fighting the Venageti within the Cantard. After completing his enlistment, he hung out his shingle as a private detective. Now he has his home and office inside the city gates in the commoner section.
Garrett has a partner in the detective business. The Dead Man had been killed four hundred years previously, but is neither dead nor a man; he is a four hundred fifty pound Loghyr whose body might be dead, but whose mind is definitely still alive. He can read the mind of anyone within a score yards or so of his body and can project thoughts into the minds of anyone within the same radius. He is also capable of other psychic tricks within that restricted range.
The Dead Man is very smart and extremely well informed on historical details, but he is also incapable of moving on his own. Garrett is the active partner, gathering facts and reporting back to the Dead Man. The Dead Man compiles these facts and then deduces certain conclusions, often sending Garrett out to collect additional specific information.
In this story, a friend of Garrett has died and the registered will appoints Garrett as one of the executors. Denny Tate had been a cavalryman in the Cantard and had been in the lucky regiment that overran a Venageti treasure caravan. Denny mustered out with a goodly amount of metal.
When Willard Tate takes him into the basement to see his son's silver, Garrett finds much more than he expected. The basement contains one hundred thousand Karentine marks in silver and other metals. No way that could be Denny's share of the plunder. Willard explains that Denny had been trading in metals, buying gold when the price of silver is high and buying silver when the price of gold is high.
Denny's will left most of the fortune to Kayean Kronk. Supposedly she is an old flame from his army days, who had kept writing letters to Denny after he was returned from the Cantard. After Garrett finished reading a few of the letters, he knew that he would take the job. Of course, he would have to return to the Cantard to find the heiress.
Garrett takes Morley -- the half-darkelf -- and three grolls with him to the Cantard. Unhappily, Rose and Tinnie Tate end up sailing with them down to Liefmold, but Garrett makes a deal with the bargemaster to take the girls back to TunFaire. Morley and the grolls are seasick the entire way on the barge to Liefmold and then even more so on the coaster to Full Harbor.
This story has elements of noir detective stories. It also has some obvious similarities to the Nero Wolfe novels, yet Garrett shows more intuition and independence than Archie Goodwin. Once they reach Full Harbor, however, the plot begins to resemble an espionage thriller. Various groups begin to react to Garrett and his crew as if they are official investigators from the capital. Then people start to vanish after talking to Garrett.
Highly recommended for Cook fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of tough detectives, casual magic, and a dead psychic genius in the wings.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Excellent book in the paranormal PI genre.......2007-04-25
This is the first book in the Garrett series and introduces many of the continuing characters. Somehow I missed it the first time around. It is one of the best books in the series as it introduces a well built and interesting world. Conceptually the series is similar to Jim Butcher's Dresden Files (see Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8)) and Simon R Green's Nightside series (see Hell to Pay: A Novel of The Nightside) although the worlds are quite different as are the protagonists.
This is a well done detective story with a relatively straight forward plot but with enough kinks to be interesting, The characters are completing and well done. There is some humor as well. The fun starts when Denny Tate dies and Garrett finds out that he is one of two executors of Denny's will and the head of the Tate clan (part elf gnome cobblers) wants Garrett to track down the mysterious woman that Denny has left a huge fortune in silver to. Unfortunately that involves going into the Cantard which is a war zone. But after enough money is waved Garrett decides to go. Some good humor as when Rose Tate who has it in for Garrett has him beat up and how he gets revenge; and how Morley (major tough guy and owner of a vegetarian restraint) deals with the Kingpin.
Say It With Ingots.......2006-09-03
So far I've limited myself to reviewing Glen Cook's Black Company series which is about as dark and heavy as Cook gets. In parallel with these, Cook started another series in 1987 that is entirely different in nature. These are a parody of the tough guy noir mysteries that dotted the early 20th century landscape, but set in the city of TunFaire in a fantasy world that includes a spectacular group of odd characters.
Garret is the human star of the series with a partner called the Dead Man - a Loghyr who dies 400 years ago but whose body hasn't caught up with the fact. A regular cohort in Garrett's shady side of the business is Morley Dotes, a vegetarian elf who specializes in violence for hire and making bad bets at the water bug races. And I shouldn't leave out Saucerhead Tharpe, who has earned his name, or Doris, Dojango, and Marsha, triplet grolls who often do the muscle work in between kegs of ale.
In this first volume Garrett gets sucked into helping a family of gnomes track down the woman who an old buddy left a ton of silver. Garrett quickly discovers that other, less wholesome, characters want the silver and they want the woman. The silver comes from insider trading, and there's a bunch of folks who would like to see the trading continue. But there are a few hitches and the secret lies in the battlefields of the Cantard and not only are there crooks and agry lady gnomes to deal with, there are plenty of centaurs and vampires to keep the story boiling.
Considering the nature of Garrett's business he is a little bit too much of a good guy, but his companions quickly balance that out. Cook gives Garrett a mind, which makes him interesting and strange folks and circumstances make up the rest. In many ways Sweet Silver Blues and its sequels of some of the best things Cook has written, simply because they are kept too short to belabor any points. And they display a fine sarcastic humor that sets the tone, no matter how dire the circumstances,
And besides, the various volumes have cool names. Do try a couple out.
Excellent Start of the Garrett Series.......2005-10-30
This is the first of Cook's Garrett series ("Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," "Cold Copper Tears," "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," "Red Iron Nights," "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat," "Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols"). It's an excellent, humorous combination of Fantasy and early Detective novels (Raymond Chandler is the usual comparison). What always strikes me about this series, and especially this book (since it's the first), is how Cook's writing makes it feel like the world he's describing actually exists (and has existed for some time). It's like the history, geography, and people are THERE and he's merely opening a window to their world. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend to anyone who likes either Fantasy or Mystery. I rate it at 5 stars out of 5.
BTW: At the time of this review, this book is long out of print. It's tough to find anywhere. As an alternative, look around for the SFBC's "The Garrett Files." This book is part of that collection.
Customer Reviews:
Garrett and Associates.......2007-09-13
The Garrett Files (1988) is an omnibus edition of the first three novels in the Garrett Files series, including Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts and Cold Copper Tears. TunFaire is an old city, with the royalty and wizards uphill and the criminals downhill in the slums. Outside the city are the estates of the rich.
Garrett is an ex-Marine who has spent five hard years fighting the Venageti within the Cantard. After completing his enlistment, he hung out his shingle as a private detective. Now he has his home and office inside the city gates in the commoner section.
Garrett has a partner in the detective business. The Dead Man had been killed four hundred years previously, but is neither dead nor a man; he is a four hundred fifty pound Loghyr whose body might be dead, but whose mind is definitely still alive. He can read the mind of anyone within a score yards or so of his body and can project thoughts into the minds of anyone within the same radius. He is also capable of other psychic tricks within that restricted range.
The Dead Man is very smart and extremely well informed on historical details, but he is also incapable of moving on his own. Garrett is the active partner, gathering facts and reporting back to the Dead Man. The Dead Man compiles these facts and then deduces certain conclusions, often sending Garrett out to collect additional specific information.
In Sweet Silver Blues (1987), a friend of Garrett has died and the registered will appoints Garrett as one of the executors. Denny Tate had been a cavalryman in the Cantard and had been in the lucky regiment that overran a Venageti treasure caravan. Denny mustered out with a goodly amount of metal.
When Willard Tate takes him into the basement to see his son's silver, Garrett finds much more than he expected. The basement contains one hundred thousand Karentine marks in silver and other metals. No way that could be Denny's share of the plunder. Willard explains that Denny had been trading in metals, buying gold when the price of silver is high and buying silver when the price of gold is high.
Denny's will left most of the fortune to Kayean Kronk. Supposedly she is an old flame from his army days, who had kept writing letters to Denny after he was returned from the Cantard. After Garrett finished reading a few of the letters, he knew that he would take the job. Of course, he would have to return to the Cantard to find the heiress.
In Bitter Gold Hearts (1988), the Dead Man is working on the tactics of Glory Mooncalled in the Cantard. He has bugs moving around on the wall map in the pattern of past campaigns. The grumblings and mutterings are trying Garrett's patience.
Garrett had been drinking heavily the night before, so the pounding on the door aggravates his hangover. Some lackeys in the colors of Stormwarden Raver Styx are hanging around outside guarding a half-fairy named Amirantha Crest. She has come down from the Hill to offer him one hundred gold marks to accompany her to the Stormwarden's residence.
After some typical verbiage to establish his importance, Garrett collects the money and then goes back with her to the household. The Stormwarden's secretary -- Domina Willa Dount -- wants Garrett's advice on the kidnapping of the Stormwarden's son. The Stormwarden is in the Cantard and her secretary would prefer that her son is released before she returns. Willa Dount describes the circumstances and shows him the ransom note. He provides her some useful tips and concurs in her thinking on the matter.
The Stormwarden's consort interrupts their discussion and Willa Dount handily brings him to heel. Then she dismisses Garrett, explaining that his very presence would be enough to warn the kidnappers to stick to the rules. As he leaves, Amirantha intercepts him in the hallway and asks about the interview, then she makes a date to meet him at the Iron Liar. Garrett notices a black-haired looker in the hallway -- she also notices him -- and learns that she is the Stormwarden's daughter Amber.
In Cold Copper Tears (1988), Garrett is taking a vacation from the clients, but Jill Craight gets past Dean and hires him to protect her from break-ins by persons unknown. She refuses to accept his excuses and pays him an exorbitant retainer. Garrett takes the money and sub-contracts the job to Pokey Pigotta.
Later, Magister Peridont -- a big-wig of the Church -- tries to hire him to discover who is behind the mud-slinging among the Orthodox clergy. The scandal has been spreading and may carry over to the Church itself. Garrett listens to the man and begins to like his approach, but turns down the job.
Later, a darkelf half-breed youth gang tries to kill Garrett as he walks toward Morley's place. One of the gang is an albino. He fights them off and takes three knives, then continues on to Morley's.
Garrett gets more than his usual stares when he arrives. Morley takes him upstairs to the office and plants him in front of a mirror. He has blood all over the left side of his face; a breed had gotten in one good cut that he hadn't even noticed.
These story have elements of noir detective stories. They also have some obvious similarities to the Nero Wolfe novels, although Garrett shows more intuition and independence than Archie Goodwin. Unlike most private detectives, however, Garrett is not a loner; he has friends and calls upon them as needed.
Highly recommended for Cook fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of a tough detective, casual magic, and a psychic genius in the parlor.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Consolidation of the First Three Garrett Books.......2005-11-03
Since most of Cook's Garrett books are long out of print and very difficult to come by, you might end up having to buy this consolidation to find the individual stories. This book, "The Garrett Files," is the first of 3 consolidations (so far). The others are "Garrett, P.I." and "Garrett Investigates." This book contains the first three stories in the Garrett series: "Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," and "Cold Copper Tears." "Garrett, P.I." contains the next three: "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," and "Red Iron Nights." "Garrett Investigates" has the next three: "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat." The remaining two books ("Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols") still appear to be in print on their own. Regarding the physical book itself, I was very surprised by how good the quality was. When I was a youth I used to get books from the SFBC and the quality was less than stellar. This book appears well bound, has good quality paper, and is well cut. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what printing my book is. The date on this Amazon page is 1988. But, I can't find a date on mine anywhere (it's brand new). My cover is also different from the one I've seen associated with this ASIN/BSIN (I've put a copy of mine here since there's no publisher provided one). Regardless, this is a very good book to have. As a pure average of my ratings for the three contained stories, I rate this book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. My individual reviews follow:
"Sweet Silver Blues:" Excellent Start of the Garrett Series. This is the first of Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent, humorous combination of Fantasy and early Detective novels (Raymond Chandler is the usual comparison). What always strikes me about this series, and especially this book (since it's the first), is how Cook's writing makes it feel like the world he's describing actually exists (and has existed for some time). It's like the history, geography, and people are THERE and he's merely opening a window to their world. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend to anyone who likes either Fantasy or Mystery. I rate it at 5 stars out of 5.
"Bitter Gold Hearts:" Very Good 2nd in the Garrett Series. This is the 2nd in Cook's Garrett series. It's a very good book, but isn't quite as good as the first in the series. The deficiency isn't anything major: it's just that I noticed a couple of the secondary characters whose personalities drastically changed from scene to scene (more so than the variability of human nature would allow). The additional role Cook gives to the Dead Man makes up for it, though. I rate it at a very good 4 stars out of 5.
"Cold Copper Tears:" An OK 3rd in Cook's Garrett Series. This is the 3rd in Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent book for the first 99%, but, unfortunately, the ending fizzles. Oh, Garrett and the Dead Man figure things out nicely. All the 'i's are dotted and all the 't's crossed. But, instead of involving us in the denouement, Cook relegates the final cleanup to a background role. It just lacks that visceral feeling of closure. Solely because of the ending, I can rate this book at only an OK 3 stars out of 5.
Start laughing.......2005-09-29
Imagine a Mickey Spillane novel set in a fantasy world. There you go. I'm laughing harder with every chapter.
Books:
- Death of a Poison Pen (Hamish Macbeth Mystery)
- Deep Freeze
- Deep Lie
- Devil's Waltz (Alex Delaware)
- Did You Declare the Corpse?: A Thoroughly Southern Mystery (Thoroughly Southern Mysteries)
- Die Trying
- Doctored Evidence
- Environmental Policy: New Directions For the Twenty-First Century
- Fatal Voyage : A Novel
- Gargantua and Pantagruel (Penguin Classics)
Books Index
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The Summer Snow (Soho Crime)
Death of an Englishman: A Marshal Guarnaccia Investigation
The Princess of Burundi (Ann Lindell Mysteries)
