Books read in 2019: No. 51 -- Mark Dawson's Mastering Simple Facebook Ads for Authors

by Mark Dawson and Kerry Gardiner

Started: Dec. 28
Finished: Dec. 31

Notes: With only a few days left in the year, I thought I'd break into this short read about running Facebook ads for authors. I've been meaning to look into this for some while, so why not now?

Mini review: About what one might expect. A short introduction to advertising on Facebook with a handful of hints to improve you chances. A decent starting point.

Books read in 2019: No. 50 -- The Bourne Identity

by Robert Ludlum

Started: Nov. 25
Finished: Dec. 28

Notes: Ludlum is one of many authors I've been meaning to read but have yet got to, and since I was in the mood for some fiction, I thought now would be the time. I've not seen any of these Bourne movies and only have a vague idea of what they're about, so there should be some surprises here.

Mini review: Though this one is definitely dated to the time of its writing (the 1970s) and the plot meanders about a bit too much for my liking, it all comes together quite well in the end. I can't call the writing style a favorite, but it's not bad. Fans of spy fiction will like this one.

Books read in 2019: No. 49 -- How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life

by Dr. Gregory R. Frizzell

Started: Nov. 19
Finished: Nov. 25

Notes: I'm reading this as part of a prayer ministry at church. Perhaps it'll open my eyes to a few things or teach me something new.

Mini review: Christians looking to expand and/or stratify their prayer life could do worse than this book. It's easy to read, simple to understand, and offers some straightforward suggestions on how to kick up your prayer time.

Books read in 2019: No. 48 -- Analysis of the Gunfight at O.K. Corral

by Ben T. Traywick

Started: Nov. 19
Finished: Nov. 19

Notes: Last year on vacation I spent a few days in Tombstone, Arizona, site of the famed gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and of course while there I picked up a number of books. It's only now, though, that I've gotten through a bunch of other books I wanted to read and am finally getting around to those books I purchased in Tombstone (along with a straw Stetson hate of which I'm rather fond). I expect this book to be interesting a it's written by the Tombstone town historian.

Mini review: A nice little read. It as obvious the author came down on the side of the Earps in the seemingly eternal Earps vs. the Cowboys feud, but not so much that it ruined the writing and telling here. Besides, from my limited experience, most of the locals in Tombstone come down on one side or another of that old fight and it's always interesting to hear both sides, whatever one chooses to believe personally. Me? I don't know. I don't blame either side and think the whole situation leading up to the gunfight and during the gunfight was probably a lot more convoluted politically and emotionally than movies and most books make out. If anything, probably all sides were to blame to some extent or other. But that's just my opinion.

Books read in 2019: No. 47 -- Lando

by Louis L'Amour

Started: Nov. 14
Finished: Nov. 19

Notes: I've read a fair amount of L'Amour over the years, but I've never been a big fan of his fiction. That being said, it has been a long time since I've read any of his work, so I thought I'd give him another go but this time with the eyes of an older man.

Mini review: This was a fair read. Told in a rustic first person, it didn't bring me around to being a fan of L'Amour's fiction, but I also didn't hate it. I will say a lot happened in less than 160 pages. Without giving away any details, the protagonist, Lando, leaves his birth home after being betrayed by some people there, then heads to Texas and down to Mexico where he runs into some more trouble. It all ends in a fairly glorious boxing match which I believe would have made Robert E. Howard proud.

Books read in 2019: No. 46 -- Calypso

by Ed McBain

Started: Nov. 9
Finished: Nov. 13

Notes: Since I love me some Ed McBain and I just finished a collection of his short tales, I thought I'd keep reading some of his work, especially as it's an 87th Precinct novel.

Mini review: The term "calypso" here refers to the style of music, in case you were wondering. A string of shooting murders, a brother missing for seven years, it all adds up to a mystery for the gang of the 87th. This tale, however, turns gorier than most stories from the 87th Precinct, at least towards the end. Considering this particular 87th Precinct novel preceded my favorite of these books, Ghosts, I'm not so surprised at how differently this one ended, for Ghosts itself is unlike any of the other dozens of novels I've read in this series.

Books read in 2019: No. 45 -- The McBain Brief

by Ed McBain

Started: Oct. 28
Finished: Nov. 8

Notes: I've been on something of a short story kick of late, so it makes sense for me to turn to this collection by one of my favorite authors. Oddly enough, even though I've read quite a bit of McBain, I don't believe I've ever read any short stories by him, but then he seems to have been more of a novel writer. Whatever the case, I'm expecting to enjoy this one.

Mini review: These were some solid short stories. As could be expected, most of them are cop related. The few tales which don't features police are still crime related. Here can be found police thrillers, crime tales, even some hard boiled action. Fans of McBain of these genres should check out this book.

Books read in 2019: No. 44 -- The Awakened Modern

edited by Hal Greenberg and Greg Schauer

Started: Oct. 20
Finished: Oct. 27

Notes: Suddenly a second moon appears above the Earth and people, at least some people, begin to show signs of having unusual powers. It sounds like something out of a comic book, but it's seemingly more fantasy related than super-hero related, at least in the books of The Awakened series. And guess what? My short story "Cold Snap" appears in this book, and personally I think it's a pretty decent story, so go check it out ... and of course read all the other tales, too, which is what I'm about to do.

Mini review: It was nice not only to see one of my own stories again, but to see how other authors dealt with the same world and some of the same issues. This was a fun read.

Books read in 2019: No. 43 -- The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

by Stephen King

Started: Oct. 6
Finished: Oct. 20

Notes: I'm in the mood for some short stories, and since it's Halloween time I thought I'd turn to the "King" of horror and possibly of modern short stories.

Mini review: The writing here is quite solid, but the writing here often enough is more literary than King's traditional work. Oh, there's some horror here, but it's not over the top and not overly gross or strong. Often times, the horror elements here are light or even just background material for the actual story. So, those wanting a strong dose of the dark stuff will probably want to look elsewhere, but King fans and those simply looking for quality writing should check this one out. My favorite story? Probably "Ur" or "Obits," though several others came close.

Books read in 2019: No. 42 -- A Robert E. Howard Sampler

edited by Chris Gruber and Bobby Derie

Started: Sept. 26
Finished: Oct. 6

Notes: I thought I'd read all the books I'd picked up at Howard Days 2018, but then I came upon this little gem stuffed back on one of my shelves. 250 of these were given away free at Howard Days that year, so they might be something of a collector's item. The table of contents (along with the title) make this appear to be a collection of Howard's work from all the different genres in which he wrote, and I have to say I believe all of them are covered here. I believe I've read all these, but then I've read just about everything of Howard's other than some of the El Borak tales and maybe a few detective or horror stories that have slipped past. Still, I expect to enjoy what I find here, and I try to work in at least one or two Howard reads every year.

Mini review: This was definitely a good introduction to Howard's writing outside of his famous Conan and Kull tales. El Borak makes an appearance, as does boxer Steve Costigan, plus there's a detective story, some horror, and more. True Howard fans will likely want this one for their collection; admittedly the presentation is somewhat amateur, but that's not necessarily all a bad thing, bringing a certain level of charm and getting back to the roots of pulp fiction.

Books read in 2019: No. 41 -- Bane of Nightmares (The Dream Lords, Volume 3)

by Adrian Cole

Started: Sept. 19
Finished: Sept. 26

Notes: I've been Facebook friends with the author for a little while now, but it occurred to me I'd never read anything of his. Then one day recently I realized I had one of his older novels on my book shelves just waiting for me. So, funny timing, sort of. And even though this is the third volume of a series, I feel fairly confident I will be able to figure out what is going on, mainly because I'm pretty familiar with speculative fiction tropes and because the author gives a short prologue at the beginning.

Mini review: This was more space fantasy than true fantasy, but it still rocked along with plenty of monsters and sword-swinging action. In the far future, Earth is ruled from another planet by the Dream Lords, semi-benevolent humans with vast powers of the mind. Yet the world of the Dream Lords is crumbling as one evil figure vies for their power. Fortunately, this evil being is thwarted by the mighty thews of our hero, an heir to being one of the Dream Lords. The battle rages from Earth to space and back with a final confrontation in an ancient temple. Not the best writing I've ever read, but also not the worst. It does come with some of the quirks of many of the short fantasy novels of the 1970s, such as plots that sometimes move so swiftly as to be practically unbelievable, but personally I find that charming rather than a negative.

Books read in 2019: No. 40 -- Doc Savage: The Land of Terror

by Kenneth Robeson

Started: Sept. 13
Finished: Sept. 18

Notes: Though I'm well aware of the Doc Savage character, I've never actually read one of these books before, so I thought it high time. This is apparently the second novel in the lengthy series, and the author's name is actually a house name used by the publisher of the time (here the 1930s). The actual author was apparently Lester Dent. Also, if I should happen to love this novel, I know an antique store that has a revolving rack full of them, so I'll know where to go to get more.

Mini review: A friend of Doc's is murdered and a long investigation eventually leads to an island where dinosaurs still roam! This was just a fun little romp. The writing is quite juvenile by today's standards, but it also has a fun, quirky sense to it that reminds one of old serialized television programs such as Flash Gordon and the earliest days of super hero comic books. I might very well venture forth into this territory again.

Books read in 2019: No. 39 -- Stormqueen!

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Started: August 25
Finished: Sept. 13

Notes: I've never been a huge MZB fan, but I have been meaning for some time to try one of her Darkover novels since they were so popular a number of decades back.

Mini review: In a feudal world where the rulers have varying levels of mind powers, a group of young people find themselves embroiled in intrigue and war at the highest levels of society and politics. And that description barely touches everything that happens within this novel. I can't say this was a favorite novel, but it was actually pretty good, though I felt it took a long time before truly becoming interesting. This novel is apparently set in one of the earliest ages of the world of Darkover, so most of the other novels take place years or centuries after this one. I would like to add that the ending here is somewhat emotionally wrenching, but that's not a bad thing, at least not to me. Would I try another Darkover novel? Yes, I would, and perhaps I will, especially as they are still being written by other authors since MZB has passed away.

Books read in 2019: No. 38 -- Night of the Hunter

by R.A. Salvatore

Started: August 1
Finished: August 25

Notes: A decade back I was reading a lot of Salvatore's work, but I got burnt out on him and have stayed away since, not that that was his fault. Sometimes I just read too much of an author in a short period and then need to stay away for a while. That while has ended, so I'm turning to one of Salvatore's more recent novels (at least to me).

Mini review: Glad to be done with this one. Salvatore's Drizzt character reunites with some old friends to head into the Underworld to save some other old friends, and that's about all I'll say so I'm not giving away too much. I will say it was nice to re-visit some old characters, and Salvatore's prose continues to flow fairly well, especially during his action scenes. That being said, this novel felt padded to me. I felt like the story could have been told in half the pages. And that's not necessarily a good thing. Maybe Salvatore didn't pad the book, but it felt that way. Still, not an awful book. Drizzt fans will want this one.

Books read in 2019: No. 37 -- The Blade Itself

by Joe Abercrombie

Started: July 20
Finished: August 1

Notes: I've heard much good about this author, specifically this book, and have been meaning to read one of his novels for some time now. Here goes.

Mini review: I have to say I was quite disappointed with this one until about the last third of the book when a number of scenes strung together suddenly made me a believer. The plot here is difficult to discuss other than to say it concerns a number of disparate characters and how they are finally brought together towards the end of this book so they can go off on an adventure in later books in the series. All in all decent writing with characters who are somewhat interesting. However, there were a lot of things here concerning characterization and even plotting which struck me as somewhat juvenile, like something a less successful self-published author would write, not something a major publisher would ... well, publish. But that sensation went away for me towards the end of the book, and in all fairness this was Abercrombie's first novel. Can I suggest this one for reading? Actually, despite my grousing, yes. Go read it. Give it a go.

Books read in 2019: No. 36 -- Blood and Bone

by Ian C. Esslemont

Started: June 14
Finished: July 20

Notes: For more than a decade now I've been a big fan of the Malazan series of fantasy novels, a group of books shared by two authors, Esslemont and Steven Erikson, though I've read mostly Erikson and only one Esslemont book. The one Esslemont book I read was good, though I prefer the Erikson material, but I thought I'd check out another from Esslemont to see if my opinion holds. Plus I love the Malazan books, so there's that.

Mini review: Several armies, mercenary groups, mages, gods, etc. all begin to gather on an island that's half desert and half jungle in order to ... what? I'm not exactly sure. It's all quite a mess. Malazan novels are always quite complex, but unfortunately Esslemont doesn't quite have the talent of Erikson. Oh, the writing here is more than solid in and of itself, and the plotting is fine though confusing, but the characterizations are sometimes lacking and the motivations are far too obscure. It helped that I've read many of the other Malazan books, but it didn't help enough. This wasn't a boring read, exactly, but it did tax my interest levels far too often. Still, it's a Malazan novel, so it always draws my interest.

Books read in 2019: No. 35 -- The Misplaced Legion

by Harry Turtledove

Started: June 7
Finished: June 13

Notes: I've read one other Turtledove novel and remember enjoying it to some extent, though that's been a long while back. Still, I thought I'd give him another go. He's probably best known for his alternative history novels and this appears to be one of those, this time with a Roman legion being transported somehow into a realm of magic.

Mini review: This was a pretty darn good book. Yes, a Roman legion finds itself in a fantasy world, one different from the world they knew but familiar enough that the legion quickly finds its place within this new, strange world. If I had any real criticism, it might be that the world introduced here is perhaps too similar to that of the Romans, because plenty of other, potentially wilder options could have been available. Still, an entertaining novel for sure, and since it's the first of a series, I'll have to check out the others at some point. A word of warning and a spoiler (so don't read ahead if you don't want): This book doesn't exactly end on a cliff hanger, but it doesn't end with full resolution, so be prepared to want to read further or perhaps to be a little disappointed (I wasn't, but that's just me).

Books read in 2019: No. 34 -- Defender, The Sanctuary Series: Volume One

by Robert J. Crane

Started: May 31
Finished: June 6

Notes: I have a ton of e-books on my Kindle which I don't remember why I snagged them in the first place. This is one of them. I don't know if I got this e-book free, whether I paid for it, if it was a gift from the author, whatever, but there must have been something that drew me to it. As I'm reading fantasy of late, I thought I'd give this one a go. Plus, I'm always interested in trying authors new to me. And all these e-books aren't going to read themselves.

Mini review: This was a pretty good book. It had several issues, including a somewhat scattered plot line, too many characters thrust upon the reader too quickly, and characters who seemed rather wooden at first. Also, this is obvious Dungeons-&-Dragons-based fiction, which doesn't bother me but is a turn off for some readers. But don't let any of that stop you from reading this. This is actually a good story, written decently well, with very interesting character interactions and relationships. I'm glad I read it and will strongly consider picking up more of the fantasy works of this author.

Books read in 2019: No. 33 -- The Wolf Age

by James Enge

Started: May 17
Finished: May 31

Notes: Enge is another author with whom I've shared a table-of-contents or two, so I thought I'd delve into his long fiction after experiencing some of his shorter work. Plus, this novel is about a city of werewolves in a fantasy setting, so that drew me in quite handily.

Mini review: A wizard warrior (sort of) finds himself imprisoned within a city of werewolves and must find a way to escape and lash out in revenge. Along the way he makes friends and enemies, the politics of the werewolves is slowly revealed, a war of sorts breaks out, and all the while the gods are watching and scheming. And that description barely touches the tip of the iceberg of everything that's going on here. I admit it took me nearly a hundred pages to be pulled in by this story, but once I was, I was hooked, and I was sad to see this novel end. Morlock makes a fantastic main character, and a number of the other characters were as interesting and entertaining. My only real complaint about this novel was some of the names of the werewolves; often those names were long, complicated and too similar to the names of other characters, so it wasn't always easy to follow. But you know? That's a pretty mild complaint for what was otherwise and excellent novel of swords and sorcery.

Books read in 2019: No. 32 -- A Discourse in Steel

by Paul S. Kemp

Started: May 11
Finished: May 17

Notes: I'm familiar with some of Kemp's shorter work as we've both appeared in a few anthologies together, but I've never read any of his longer material, so here goes. I expect good things.

Mini review: This was simply a rollicking ball of fun. Kemp's Egil and Nix characters are obvious versions of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey Mouser, but it works without feeling like its ripping off Leiber, mainly because there are enough differences in Kemp's characters from Leiber's to keep them from being exact replicas. In fact, Kemp's work here is likely more accessible to the modern reader than that of Leiber, so in a way Kemp's is the stronger material, at least for modern readers. This was well written and a lot of fun to read. If you like action-driven Sword and Sorcery, then you should pick this up.