I’ve Turned to a Life of Crime

Or, to be exact, a life of crime reading, all of which began several years ago. Up until then, I would say I read a mixed bag and cross section of genre. And, up until then, I was probably reading close to 80% speculative fiction. I say speculative because at one point I moved from almost exclusively reading SF through most of my teen years, to reading some fantasy, a little paranormal, and some supernatural. I never really took to horror, in the same way I strongly dislike ‘horror‘ movies. It always boils down to violence, and I’m just not interest.

Which makes it all the more odd that I eventually wandered into reading crime fiction. But then again, crime fiction is an umbrella term I think we all use to cover quite a cross section of tropes that fit neatly, and some not so neatly, under that umbrella.

We’re all familiar with the whodunnit, courtroom drama, murder-mystery, suspense, cozy mysteries, police procedurals, detective stories, and, of late, forensics and psychological thrillers, which, yes, I also include under the umbrella. The latter are usually quite different to the modern thriller which, these days, tends to be about someone from an alphabet organisation (CIA/NSA/MI6/FBI), running around the planet trying to stop international criminals, terrorists, or organised crime and the like.

I don’t remember exactly which book started it all, that kind of recall escapes me these days. I just know that I picked up several more titles all considered ‘crime fiction,’ one of those was a Louise Penny novel from her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache stories: Bury Your Dead. It just happened to be on the shelf and caught my eye, and I saw it was set here, in Québec City. How could I not read it?

From there on in, I was hooked. Hooked on Louise Penny, the fictional village of Three Pines, and more, crime fiction at large.

If you haven’t read any Louise Penny, may I humbly suggest you do, but don’t start as I did, with what I think is book six. Start with book one, Still Life, and work your way through. The character development in this series is excellent, and unlike any other series I’ve ever read.

And you? What recommendations do you have for me, and what are your favourite genres.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Book Review: Foundryside

Let me just say up front, this is not a book for the faint of heart, and would definitely be PG-13 if not higher given some of the content, themes and descriptions. Including some grisly deaths. But that said, all of it is within context to the world in which this story is set. It’s a dark, definitely bleak story, and yet?

And yet, Bennett does something unique amid all the darkness he gives us hope, he gives us humour and plenty of courage, as his characters fight through the harsh realities of their lives and situations. In the end, despite the tragedies and hardship, friendship, commitment, strength and courage bring a disparate band of diverse characters together to overcome a great deal. 

I was blown away with the world building in this one, which was beautifully wrought in all it’s grim darkness. The characters themselves range from the well written protagonist, Sancia Grado, a small time thief, to several secondary characters that support and surround her story and journey, to some wonderfully sketched foes who just wreak of evil intent.  

Our heroes hardships unite them in going up against a terrifying foe the likes of which they (and us) have yet to fully understand. 

Throughout Bennett teases us with Sancia’s past, and events that formed and shaped her childhood and life. Taking us on a wild ride of revelation after revelation, as he spins us a marvellous fantasy hideous in places, but hopeful in others. And gives us just enough humour, levity, and light to lessen the bleak situation our erstwhile heroine finds herself in when, as a petty thief tasked with stealing what, at first glimpse, is a simple wooden box, turns out to be so much more. Giving us, the reader, one hell of a ride along with Sancia, as she tries to figure it all out without getting herself killed in the process. 

This intricate, complex, well defined, tightly woven story is dense, ambitious and, in the end, delivers on a grand scale. Thoughtful, and hopeful, it’s devastating but it’s also a book you won’t be able to put down till you’ve finished and then, you’ll be left wanting more. I know I was.

I can’t wait for book two, Shorefall, to see what happens next.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Top Ten Tuesday: Buzzwords or Phrases That Make Me Want to Read (or Avoid) a Book.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish, which is now being hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

The rules are simple:

  • Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want.
  • Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post.
  • Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists.
  • Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

This week’s topic is Buzzwords or Phrases That Make Me Want to Read (or Avoid) a Book.

Makes Me Want To Read A Book

  1. Pirates: From an early age of reading I’ve always had a thing for pirates, whether they’re raiding the high seas, or doing the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs. I love me a good book about pirates.
  2. Found Family: Who doesn’t love a story that includes found family? I just finished reading the first book in Robert Jackson Bennett’s the Founders trilogy, FOUNDRYSIDE, which included the protagonist, Sancia eventually finding her tribe.
  3. Tense Psychological Thriller: If done well, this beats out so many other genre hands down. Especially if it involves spies.
  4. Slow-Burn: I’m up for this each and every time, whatever the circumstances or genre.
  5. Small Town Mystery: I love cosy mysteries in general and yes, small town Agatha Christie style murder-mysteries in particular.

Makes Me Want To Avoid A Book

  1. Enemies to Lovers: Is there anything more manufactured than this trope? One that is severely over used IMHO.
  2. Heart Wrenching: An over-used phrase. Is every romance to be heart wrenching, I mean, seriously?
  3. Insta Love: I cannot stand this trope. Give me slow-burn every time.
  4. Love Triangle: Another over used trope especially in romance. Give it a rest.
  5. For Fans Of: Rarely is a book described this way actually aimed at Fans Of a certain author or genre.
  6. Unreliable Narrators: Again, another over used trope.

Celebrating Military SF

 

There is one thing you can be sure of, modern science fiction gives us plenty of choice to choose from when it comes to sub-genres. Of course, it all depends on who you speak to about what may, or may not, make it onto the list but, for arguments sake, here are a few of what makes it onto my list:

  • Alien Invasion
  • A. I. (Artificial Intelligence | Nano Tech | Virtual)
  • Colonisation (also: Terraforming)
  • Dystopian
  • First Contact
  • Galactic Empire
  • Generational Ships
  • Military SF
  • Near Future
  • Parallel Universes
  • Post Apocalypse
  • Robots & Androids (see also AI above)
  • Space Exploration
  • Space Opera
  • Time Travel
  • Utopian

Of these, I think I dislike time travel the most, while on the flip side, one of my favourites is military SF. But what is it about one that I dislike, and what is it about the other, that I like? Well, I thought you would never ask.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Deep Down Dead

DEEP DOWN DEAD by British author, Steph Broadribb, just oozes authenticity so much so you can almost smell the burnt rubber on the asphalt, and the cordite smoke after each shoot out. It’s one of those rare books that when started, is almost impossible to put down. A page-flipping, tense, action-packed crime thriller, that will leave you breathless. Indeed, the frantic pace is one long roller coaster ride that doesn’t stop until the last page, with an ending that says: ‘This ain’t over yet, honey!’ And that there is plenty more where this came from. 

A fact that makes me so happy. Because, simply put, the characters of Lori and JT are so well written, they draw you straight into the tangled story that Broadribb has crafted for them, tailor-made down to the last detail. This is not just a simple case of bails-bond Lori Anderson going to collect a ‘Jumper’ but so much more complex when the Jumper turns out to not only be her mentor, but someone she fell in love with. Throw in a couple of wrenches in the guise of the Miami Mafia on the hunt for JT, but also a pedophile group hell bent on silencing him, and Lori—Momma Bear—has her hands full staying one step ahead. And keeping her, and JT alive, long enough to save Lori’s daughter, Dakota, who’s been kidnapped.

And, as these guys find out the hard way, you don’t mess with a Momma Bear and come between her and her child!

From the crisp, snappy banter, to the subtext and romantic tension between JT and Lori, to the dynamics of a plot that twists and turns at every corner, everything clicks into place perfectly. DEEP DOWN DEAD is one hell of a satisfying read, with one kick-ass, memorable heroine in Lori Anderson; a woman who just doesn’t know how to give up, when fighting to save her child’s life.

A thrilling debut outing. If this doesn’t leave you wanting more, then I don’t know what will.