vivdunstan: Photo of some of my books (books)
Catching up with this, and another 6 titles finished since my last post:

    earlier books )
  1. Winter's Heart (Wheel of Time book 9) by Robert Jordan
  2. Insomniacs After School volume 6 (manga) by Makoto Ojiro
  3. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
  4. Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
  5. The Wee Free Men (Discworld book 30) by Terry Pratchett
  6. Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangan


Of the new ones, the Wheel of Time 9th book was not as bad as I feared. Still way too long, still over written. And I'm rather dreading book 10, which retells much of the same plot apparently as book 10. But not too bad, and overall enjoyable. I am determined to get to the end of the series!

Still loving the Insomniacs After School manga series, though trying to spread them out, because there are still some more due to be published in English translation.

Assassin's Apprentice is the first Robin Hobb book I have read. I enjoyed it a lot, though some bits made me so very angry as I was reading. Angry at the author for making me go through reading them! But it was well written. I expect to continue on to the sequel in the near future.

Belladonna is a Young Adult gothic/fantasy/historical/romance book. I'm honestly surprised how "spicy" it was, given the age it was targeted at. I also found it a slog to keep going through much of it, and it needed heftier editing. But I did enjoy it enough that I might read the sequel.

Continuing my reread of the Discworld "Witches" mini series of books saw me get to the first Tiffany Aching book. These Tiffany books late in Terry's writing life are so very good. I can understand why he was so fond of them and also so proud of them.

I enjoyed Lucy Mangan's book recalling her childhood reading, from her very earliest memories of being read to, through to her transition to adulthood. She's a couple of years younger than me, but we read many similar books in childhood. Though she didn't share my enthusiasm for fantasy, and was far more keen than me on contemporary fiction and also dystopian which I tend to avoid.

I am now reading the first in David Bishop's Renaissance Florence set series of mystery/thrillers. As well as continuing to read a non fiction book about a slow canal boat journey around England, another British Library Weird Tales short story collection, and more.

Finishing my 25th book means that I've reached my self-set Goodreads reading goal of the year. I was very modest in my 2025 reading goal, and wanted it to be something easily achievable, not least given how sedated and time limited I am now. And to be fair the last 6 months have included some whoppers, including another Wheel of Time book, and a reread of Charles Dickens's very lengthy Our Mutual Friend. I will keep reading, but it's nice to have 25 books under my belt.
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock)
Nearing the end of Memoirs and on to this tale of a stolen secret treaty ... spoilers )
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Onto another story, and unashamed disclaimer up front: this is one of my all-time favourite Holmes stories. spoilers )
vivdunstan: Photo of some of my books (books)
Still struggling not to type 2024 at the top of these posts!

    earlier books )
  1. Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots by Jade Scott
  2. A Middle-earth Album: Paintings by Joan Wyatt Inspired by Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings by Joan Wyatt
  3. Could You Survive Midsomer? – A Winter's Murder: An Official Midsomer Murders Interactive Novel by Simon Brew
  4. Eerie East Anglia: Fearful Tales of Field and Fen by Edward Parnell
  5. Introducing Shakespeare: A Graphic Guide by Nick Groom
  6. Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
  7. The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson


I've written reviews of Captive Queen, the Midsomer Murders gamebook and Eerie East Anglia.

Of the others, the Tolkien paintings book was nice, though there were some curious choices, especially re the hobbits. The Shakespeare book was great in parts, but had an almost total blind spot on detailed coverage of the many plays, which felt like a huge omission. Our Mutual Friend was a delight for me, as always. And The Principle of Moments, the first in a planned trilogy, was a heady mix of fantasy, space opera and time travelling shenanigans. Probably more ambitious in its goals than it ultimately achieved. But still a riveting read, and I will read the other books.
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Continuing my reread of the Memoirs collection, and another story I can barely recall. spoilers ... )
vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
This morning's reading, the second in the Midsomer Murders gamebooks. Very happy with my investigation today, even if there was admittedly lots of fingers stuck in the book's pages at various points! Much fun, captures the essence of the TV series. There is a 3rd Midsomer Murders gamebook planned.

vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock)
Onto the next in my reread, and a story that has rather a complicated publication history, which means I could read it in a couple of different places in the reading order. But have opted for it now. Mainly to get it out of the way! It is not one of my favourites.

spoilers ... )
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Starting my reread of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. And going to discuss spoilers so into spoiler space ... )
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Onto the last in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes collection. And this is one that I do remember. Even though I have a tendency to muddle it with the "Solitary Cyclist" story ...

Into spoiler space ...  )

So that's the end of the first collection of short stories for me. On to Memoirs next week.
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
On to another one that I can barely remember, and this discussion is going to be full of spoilers, so let's go into a big spoiler cut ... )
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Now this story surprised me. I can't remember it at all from my multiple past reads. Nevertheless it is a well constructed mystery, with a satisfying resolution.

The "noble bachelor" is another member of the upper echelons of society who comes to Holmes for help, the latest in a long line. Though this one is rather arrogant, and I loved this put down from Holmes:
"A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick. I understand that you have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir, though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society."

"No, I am descending."

"I beg pardon."

"My last client of the sort was a king."

"Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?"

"The King of Scandinavia."

"What! Had he lost his wife?"

"You can understand," said Holmes, suavely, "that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you in yours."

The mystery of the lost wife is well described, though I found it somewhat hard to visualise in places. My own issue with probable aphantasia.

As in a number of Sherlock Holmes stories there is an American connection, with very much a sense of the exotic in its inclusion.

Ultimately the solution to the case is a simple one, as Holmes sums up himself:
"The case has been an interesting one," remarked Holmes, when our visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how simple the explanation may be of an affair which at first sight seems to be almost inexplicable. Nothing could be more natural than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard."

So yes, a good story, though not one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories. And a story that had completely slipped my memory, despite multiple rereads.
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Continuing the short story reread, and onto one of the most gruesome stories in the canon. Going to discuss this with big spoilers from the start, so here's a spoiler cut. )
vivdunstan: Sidney Paget drawing of Holmes and Watson in a railway carriage (sherlock holmes)
Onto another story, and, like "A Scandal in Bohemia", this is one I've appreciated more on reads than watching the Jeremy Brett TV version. And this latest read was no exception.

It is gloriously Christmassy, and I really feel as though I should have been reading it in a couple of months time from now! There are vivid descriptions of the cold, wintry weather. And I think reading that is far more immersive than even a visual depiction on the TV version.

The story revolves around a festive goose which has turned up in mysterious circumstances. And even more mysteriously it turns out to have a giant gemstone inside it. Holmes has to deduce how this happened, and solve a crime, and of course he does so, brilliantly.

There is a very lengthy deduction section, where Holmes shows off his skills. This time starting from a hat. It's great to read, not feeling overlong, and it does set up the rest of the story.

I loved the dashing from location to location as Holmes and Watson followed the clues about the goose, back to its origins. There is also a highly amusing conversation in Covent Garden, with a very reluctant poultry seller. And I was amused when Holmes traced someone by placing an advert in the newspapers, that he was sure the person would see the next day.

Ultimately the mystery is resolved, and things are wrapped up. And all round it's just very satisfying. Though again, I think, best read at Christmas. I do wonder what I will think when I rewatch the Jeremy Brett version soon.

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vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
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