'Wool Omnibus'

'Word-of-mouth', or, should I say 'Word-of-Facebook', is so very valuable when it comes to promoting movies, blogs, and books.*

Especially books.

Publishers have taken to Facebook (and now, Pinterest) to promote titles by interacting with potential readers.  They offer 'freebies' and podcasts and author appearances at reading group gatherings.  Major publishers are great advocates of 'newbie' authors who have published their first book, or have changed genres.

But nothing can promote a book faster than word-of-mouth.  I do it all the time, via Facebook, Twitter, Book Hog, and (my favorite) while I'm browsing in a bookstore (my old bookselling skills are alive and well).  

And it was through Facebook that I learned about one of the most intriguing science fiction novels that I have ever read.  'Wool', by Hugh Howey, is (for want of a better word) unputdownable.  I was told that I would need at least a day or two to read it, but I found myself reluctant to see it end.  Whoever edited the story did a brilliant job; someone's diamond eye was focused on the details, and for that, I am very grateful.  

'Wool' is a post-apocalyptic story of life in a silo.  That's right; a silo filled with hundreds of occupants of all ages.  If an occupant says, "I want to go outside" in front of witnesses, he or she has instantly pronounced their death sentence.  Such people are called 'cleaners'; they are sent outside to clean the lenses that show the underground occupants a view of the outside.  After their chore is finished, the cleaner walks over hills toward the toxic fallen city, where they soon find their end.

Everyone in the silo knows what will happen, but they keep quiet, afraid that they might be the next sent outside.  But there are a few people who question the laws made to protect them.  One in particular, Juliette, a brilliant mechanic who has lived and worked near the bottom tiers of the silo almost all her life, is one of those who questions, and isn't afraid to find the answers.  And she is brilliant.  But what she discovers is one of the cruelest jokes of all.

This is not a typical science fiction novel.  And neither is there a sense of claustrophobia.  It is written with love for the characters, and the dialogue is short and sweet.  'Wool' is action-packed; I feverishly turned the pages and discovered dark secrets and lies right along with the beautifully-realized characters.  Surprises abound, tears were shed.

Believe me, this is an instant classic.

And I can't say enough about it.  Read 'Wool' and send the author your response.

We need to encourage this man to continue with his most brilliant career.


*Thank you, Angie, for your most brilliant recommend!

'Kill You Twice'

Just the other day, I received a phone call from my local library, informing me that a couple books on my reserve list had finally made it into the branch.  So, I went in, and there were the books, sitting on the Hold shelf with my name in them.

And there was 'The One'.  'The One' I'd been dying to read ever since it was first published.  

'Dying' is an apt word to use when it comes to 'The One', it being 'Kill You Twice', written by the phenomenal Chelsea Cain.

I ended up borrowing five books in all that day, but Chelsea's book received my immediate attention.

I finished it in one day.  I couldn't stop turning pages, despite the fact that the dog needed a walk, and dirty laundry was calling my name.  I ignored it all and gave Chelsea's book the respect it so richly deserves.

If you have read the other books in the series, you are aware that the stories center on the strange relationship between Archie Sheridan, a Portland police detective, and Gretchen Lowell, a cool blonde serial killer and Archie's former lover.  Gretchen is clever and so very intelligent...but then, Archie knows her tactics very, very well.  Of all her victims, he was the only one who lived to tell about it.   

Although Gretchen doesn't really show up in the third ('Evil at Heart') and fourth ('The Night Season') books, her presence is felt.

But she's back in 'Kill You Twice'...and she's still a horrible, infuriating, brilliant woman, despite the fact that she's drugged and locked up in maximum security at the state mental hospital.  Gretchen has some secrets, one quite major.  And Archie, finally coming to terms with his life and growing stronger every day, knows exactly how to 'play' her for information.  Their 'cat-and-mouse' relationship is a joy to behold.  Chelsea has a knack for bringing her characters to life; burning them into our memories, making us care, despite the fact that a few of them are mentally deranged.

In 'Kill You Twice', the first murder victim is discovered at Mt. Tabor, hanging from a tree.  And next, a crispy corpse is found laying under the former 'Made in Oregon' sign (Chelsea knows her Portland!).  Could this be the work of a copycat killer?  Or has Gretchen escaped? 

Susan, the intrepid, clever reporter, is back and her investigative skills were never sharper.  I have to say that I'm very happy that Susan's hippy mother, Bliss, has a larger role in the whole plot.    

But, most of all, we are given glimpses into Gretchen's past, discoveries that are slowly peeled back like the layers of an onion.

And her secret?  I'm not talking.  That's something you'll have to discover for yourself if you can get through the violence and gore.  But if you're as big a fan as me, that's trivial.

It's the marvelous relationship between Archie and Gretchen that makes you turn the pages.

Thanks, Chelsea, for bringing her back.  She was missed, scalpel and all.

'Homer's Odyssey'

There are times in our lives when we need something a bit unexpected.  A surprise.  A hopeful surprise.

We also need to discover that someone else, just like us, has gone through success and failure without becoming 'hardhearted' and pessimistic.  It brings us closer to the human experience and teaches us that despite life's little setbacks, we can always move on, comfortable in the knowledge that we are not alone.

There are also times when someone or something comes into our lives when we need them most; the someone or something that shields us against pessimism with their shining spirit.

That is exactly what I found while reading Gwen Cooper's incredible book, 'Homer's Odyssey'.

Homer is a cat, but not your ordinary, 'garden variety' cat (but what cat isn't unique?).  When he was a mere two weeks old, Homer was rescued and taken to a vet, who discovered that the little guy had a life-threatening eye infection.  To save his life, the vet did the only thing she could do:  She surgically removed his eyes.  The couple who had found him could not adopt him, and the vet could not find anyone who would take him in.  That is, until she called Gwen, one of her customers who had two cats.

It was love at first sight.  Homer grew into a three-pound dynamo, able to leap tall bookcases in a single bound.  He became a master fly killer (seriously).  And he saved Gwen's life.

Full of joy, optimism, and a huge amount of love, 'Homer's Odyssey' is quite unlike any other animal book I've ever read.  I laughed so hard.  But the tears...the tears really flowed when I read the chapter about 9/11 (Gwen lived close to the site of the World Trade Center).  Gwen could not get back to her beloved Homer, Vashti and Scarlett for days.  She tried everything in her power to rescue them as images of the worst possible scenarios regarding them were constantly on her mind:  What if a window had broken and Homer escaped, never to find his way back home?  What if they had run out of food and water?  What if she was never able to hold them again?  It's a tense chapter and you'll want to send a big, fat check to the ASPCA.  

The remarkable, amazing little Homer is the true centerpiece of this story, and you will cheer him on.  You will be astounded when you read about his resourceful nature.  It seems that we all need a Homer in our lives.

And you will learn that love doesn't require having a set of eyes.

'The Secret Keeper'

After I first read Kate Morton's first novel, 'The House at Riverton', I thought, "Now that was fine writing!"  Her second novel, 'The Forgotten Garden', didn't thrill me very much, but I had high hopes for her third, 'The Distant Hours', a novel that, while I found it satisfying, was a bit too long.

And now there's her fourth, 'The Secret Keeper'.  "Oh, Kate," I said to myself.  "Please get it right with this one!"


Oh, she did.  She really did.

Full of twists and turns, secrets and lies, 'The Secret Keeper' may just be her best novel to date.

It opens with a visually-stunning view of the English countryside.  Sixteen year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped a family picnic by hiding in her treehouse, dreaming of her future.  But before the afternoon is over, she is witness to a shocking crime involving her beloved mother and a dark stranger.  Fifty years later, Laurel has become a world-renown actress, and she returns to her family home to celebrate her mother's ninetieth birthday.  Realizing that her mother isn't long for this earth, Laurel gently questions her mother about that jarring past event, and in doing so, sets off to find answers.

Her mother's story begins in pre-WW2 England and through the Blitz, through to the '60's and beyond.  Laurel discovers that three strangers, Dorothy (her mother), Viven, and Jimmy, have met by chance and find their lives forever entwined.

This beautifully-realized novel, dear reader, is full of intrigue and secrets.  The lies are enormous.  And the pay-off?

I'm keeping that to myself.

'Steven Saylor, Honorary Roman'

Long, long ago, before cell phones, ipods, and personal computers were the 'norm' in every household, before cable television really came into its own, I had...public television.

If I didn't have a good book to read, I could always find something on PBS.  Be it a nature program, or science, or even political discussions, I was able to find something to stimulate my imagination.

When I discovered 'Masterpiece Theater', I was thrilled beyond words.  Finally!  A literate, well-produced series of plays based on, well, literary masterpieces.  When 'I, Claudius' premiered sometime in the late '70's, I was glued to my t.v. set every Sunday night.  It still remains my most favorite of the series.

Based on Robert Graves' classic novels, 'I, Claudius', and 'Claudius the God', the series begins in the middle of the reign of Augustus Caesar, then continues with Tiberius, Caligula (played by the incredible John Hurt), and ends with Claudius (with Nero in the wings, waiting for his stepfather to expire).  Bold, incredible, and naughty, the series gave me more than an introduction to British actors I still revere to this day; I found myself visiting the library much more often (remember:  We didn't have the internet yet), reading books about ancient Rome; Suetonius, Cicero, Pliny the Elder and the Younger, etc.  From there, I moved into Egyptian history, and then the ancient world was my oyster.

From that experience, I have always kept my eye out for any books pertaining to Rome, fiction and non-fiction.  When Steven Saylor's novel, 'Roma' appeared in my bookstore, I knew I had to read it.  And after I read it, I had to own it.  It's safe to say that I've read his wonderful novel more than once.

'Roma' begins before Rome had begun.  It was a mere backwater; swampy, muddy, with rough trails for traveling merchants.  Spanning 1,000 years, the plot revolves around the Pinarius and Potitius clans and their involvement in the founding of one of the greatest cities in the ancient world.  It ends with Octavius, better known as Augustus, Rome's first emperor.  It is a fierce novel; gritty and realistic, full of hope and heartbreak and staggering loss.  But, to me, it seems so true to life.  It's as if Mr. Saylor had actually lived-and-breathed his impeccable research.



And then came the sequel, 'Empire', an equally-believable account of life in ancient Rome from the end of the reign of Augustus up to Marcus Aurelius.  But although this novel is just as heartbreaking in spots, the madness of Tiberius, Caligula, and the others is terrifying.  Their sexual 'games' and hidden atrocities came to vivid life, and it left me feeling that I would have kept myself hidden away if I had been living in such a horrible time.

That is the power of Mr. Saylor's writing; how he kept me involved, how he made me cry, how he made me want to strike back at those who thought they were immortal and could get away with any cruelty and not think twice about what they had done.  And in the middle, our witnesses, the Pinarius males, suffer loss, escape death by the whim of a few emperors, and find themselves wealthy beyond belief.  But each man is touched by his conscience; one finds Jesus, another finds philosophers and a strange magical man.  

Now I await the third in his series.

Constantine should be quite....interesting.

If you enjoy these books, check out Steven Saylor's fantastic mystery stories about Gordianus the Finder in the 'Roma Sub Rosa' series set in ancient Rome.  The prequel to that series, 'Seven Wonders', has just been released and is well worth your time.

'The Lies of Locke Lamora'

You know how it is...

You have a stack of books; galley copies and newly-released; but none of them seem to suit your present need.  So, you go back to your favorites, those stories that had given  satisfaction so long ago.  The stories you always turn to, knowing the magic is still there.  

Sometimes, I'll pick up a Twain, or a Spencer Quinn, or an Austen.  Or maybe I'll try to finish 'Ulysses', or give Dorothy Parker's short stories another go.  There are times when I need a bit of history, or a biography.  

But a few days ago, I needed some fantasy...but not *cough cough* 'Fifty Shades of Boredom'.  I scanned the shelves and my hand landed on Scott Lynch's magnificent debut novel, 'The Lies of Locke Lamora'.  When I first read it in galley form, I was instantly taken with The Gentlemen Bastards, the gang of thieves that ran clever, clever scams.  But I wasn't prepared for the heartbreak.  I was astounded, to say the least.  I even shed a few tears.

The action is relentless, the evil is pure.  And the heart of the 'Thorn of Camorr' is tender, yet unforgiving when tragedy strikes.

The city is reminiscent of Venice, as are the clothes and manners of the nobility and merchants.  But those who came before left behind magnificent towers made of Elderglass, a material that pulsates with energetic beauty and color.

An orphan raised by a blind priest, Locke is taught everything he needs to know in order to become a successful thief.  And Camorr has never seen a more brilliant, innovative trickster.

With a scam in place, Locke and his cohorts are soon led into a scheme so diabolical, so evil, that it is up to them to save Camorr. 

So, on this rainy day in Oregon, I finished rereading the adventures of Locke and Jean, The Gray King, and the unsuspecting nobility of the city of Camorr.

Lynch's debut is brilliant, and I was overjoyed to read the second book ('Red Seas Under Red Skies') in this projected seven-book series.

If it's a rainy day in your corner of the world, pick up a treasured book.  Read it and experience the magic...all over again. 

I did.  And I think I'll have another.

'Gone Girl'

It takes a brilliant mind to come up with a story that, on the surface, seems so simple.  So 'cut-and-dried'.  

What really pulls me into mystery stories is the fact that I actually get to exercise my mind.  Did he/she do it?  Or was it the butler in the bathroom with the butterknife?  Most of the time, we find that we are wrong.  Dead wrong.  We can read all the Sherlock Holmes mysteries that we want, thinking we'll have a 'heads up' when we explore contemporary suspense thrillers, but...

...we'll be dead wrong.

Gillian Flynn is one of many mystery writers who has a huge fan base.  I've enjoyed her previous stories; 'Sharp Objects' is a particular favorite; so when I heard that her new novel, 'Gone Girl' had been released, I was eager to partake of the mystery meal.  I was even more eager when I learned that it was garnering very positive reviews.  Then it appeared on bestseller lists.

I'll admit it:  I am proud of Gillian.  I've been an advocate of her books for a long time, finding great pleasure in putting her books in customer's hands.  Gillian has one of those brilliant minds.  And she's clever, to boot.

'Gone Girl' opens with a typical scene:  In North Carthage, Missouri, Nick and Amy Dunne are preparing to celebrate their five-year wedding anniversary.  Presents are wrapped, reservations are made.  A mysterious silver gift box sits hidden in Amy's closet.  Nick begins work at the bar he and his twin sister, Margo, own...until he receives a phone call from a neighbor with the news that Nick's front door is open and his wife is gone.  

It doesn't help that Nick has daydreamed about the slope and shape of Amy's head.  And Amy's diary reveals a perfectionist who would drive anyone totally crazy.  After the police are informed, Nick demonstrates inappropriate behavior and each lie makes you wonder if he had anything to do with Amy's disappearance.

Did he do it?  And if not, just where is Amy?


Flynn has written a story full of her trademark clever dialogue, and she leads readers in so many directions, making us suspect anyone and no one.  But, like a magician, her sleight-of-hand keeps us from noticing what's really happening.  The suspense doesn't let up, and you might find yourself finishing the story within a day.  Because it's good.  Very, very good.  

Once you discover the mystery of 'Gone Girl', you'll wonder just how well you know the one you love.