Her Majesty's Men

Marquesate
Camouflage Press
Reviewed by Nancy
4 out of 5 stars

Summary

Her Majesty's Men is the story of two soldiers in the British Forces and of a friendship taking unexpected turns. In the eyes of the Army they are just two mates who are close. But from the revelation of personal secrets, ensuing hatred and aggression, through terror and danger, to loyalty, triumphant strength and courage, grows their own realisation of what they are: comrades first and foremost, but something else too, something more significant. The two Royal Engineers, Sgt Tom Warren and SSgt Alex Turner, learn to understand the real meaning of loyalty and strength. Their fight for survival cuts through all the discipline and rules, to tie them together in a unique bond of companionship and trust.

My Review

This is the story of two British solders, Alex Turner and Tom Warren, who are comrades, best friends, and eventually, lovers. Though Tom is discreet about his sexuality, he trusts his friend enough to come out to him. Unfortunately, Alex reacts harshly, putting a temporary strain on their friendship. Alex's behavior sucked, Tom’s crush on Alex bordered on obsessive, and the short sentences and terse dialogue didn't appeal. The Britishisms I expected were largely absent, so Alex and Tom could have been American solders as well. I nearly set the book aside for something else, but glad I continued.

The story improved significantly later on as aspects of Alex's past are revealed and the tension ramps up when Alex and Tom are on a mission and put in life-threatening situations. I'm not a huge fan of “gay for you,” but this was well done and very believable. Alex gradually explores his own sexuality and growing feelings for Tom and becomes a much more likable character. There are a number of explicit violent scenes, but these did not feel gratuitous. They added tension, excitement and gave the guys an opportunity to display their courage, bravery and sacrifice. Their lovemaking was brutal and passionate.

I liked how the story took place over a period of years, keeping it from feeling “insta-lovey” and allowing both characters to heal from their physical and emotional wounds. It was easy to feel the men’s strong connection and deep care and respect they had for each other, which can be hard to accomplish in a short story.

The brief glimpse of the women in the men’s lives (Tom’s sister and two daughters and Alex’s ex-wife) was not an unwelcome interlude and added a touch of sweetness, but felt a little tacked on and unnecessary.

Despite the minor flaws, this was a very solid and enjoyable military romance.

THE LOST CITY OF Z BY DAVID GRANN

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

”How easily the Amazon can deceive.

It begins as barely a rivulet, this, the mightiest river in the world, mightier than the Nile and the Ganges, mightier than the Mississippi and all the rivers in China. Over eighteen thousand feet high in the Andes, amid snow and clouds, it emerges through a rocky seam--a trickle of crystal water.”

By the time it reaches the ocean, the estuary of the Amazon river at the mouth is 202 miles wide. A trickle becomes one of the mightiest forces on the planet.

Colonel Percy Fawcett, the legend that launched a thousand explorers.

Candice Millard, in her book about Theodore Roosevelt’s trip through the Amazon, summed it up nicely: ”The rainforest was not a garden of easy abundance, but precisely the opposite. Its quiet, shaded halls of leafy opulence were not a sanctuary, but rather the greatest natural battlefield on the planet, hosting an unremitting and remorseless fight for survival that occupied every single one of its inhabitants, every minute of every day.”

David Grann, the author, became fascinated with Colonel Percy Fawcett after he stumbled upon a treasure trove of his journals. He wasn’t alone. Thousands have also found his story fascinating; hundreds have been so inspired by him as to go into the Amazonian jungle in search of him, their heads dancing with visions of being the next Henry Morton Stanley to find a famous missing explorer.


There are as many visions of what El Dorado looks like as there are explorers to look for it.

On his final journey to the Amazon in 1925, Fawcett was determined to finally find El Dorado, or the City of Z as he liked to call it, but he…disappeared without a trace.

Not that it is difficult to disappear in a jungle as dangerous as the Amazon. Everything from the most microscopic insect to infections to pumas are trying to kill you, not to mention the local tribesmen who may think you are interesting enough to let live or even more interesting to roast on a spit. There was one description that made me shiver: ”Espundia, an illness with even more frightening symptoms. Caused by a parasite transmitted by sand flies, it destroys the flesh around the mouth, nose, and limbs, as if the person were slowly dissolving. ‘It develops into...a mass of leprous corruption.’”

So why do Amazonian explorers insist on trying to conquer such an inhospitable place?

Because it is there.

But also because there are people who feel an itch so intense that they have to go somewhere as far away from people as possible. ”Indeed, some might say that explorers become explorers precisely because they have a streak of unsociability and a need to remove themselves at regular intervals as far as possible from their fellow men.” I resemble that comment, but my solution is less glamorous. I’m more likely to descend into the bowels of my library and let my books take me to Istanbul, Manchu Picchu, Gettysburg, or even, yes, to places as inhospitable as the Amazon. I can navigate the river without coming down with some hideous infection or being drained dry by a vampire bat because my arm flopped outside the netting in the middle of the night or feel the sting of a poisonous arrow puncturing my neck. My martini stays dry and at the proper temperature, too.

Besides the desire for discovery, Fawcett was fortunate to have an iron constitution. While other members of his party were dropping like flies from a host of illnesses or injuries, he just marched on. He lost several key years to the trenches of WW1, and when he emerged from the war to start finding funding for his final trip, he discovered that his patron, the Royal Geological Society, was broke. He had to find financing elsewhere. America beckoned.

Fawcett believed in small parties rather than large, heavily armed parties for exploring the Amazon. He had a rule that I think said a lot about his character, but also about his depth of wisdom. ”Die if you must, but never kill.” Unlike other European and American explorers, he was not in love with his guns. He was there to explore and discover, not conquer.


Percy’s son Jack Fawcett looking very fit for his venture into the jungle.

Decades after his final dispatch from the jungle, Fawcett’s wife and remaining family (he took his teenage son Jack with him) continued to believe that one day he would emerge from the jungle with a tale so epic that only Homer could tell it properly. Grann, too, like so many others before him, became infatuated with what became of Fawcett. He is not made in the same mold as Fawcett, or really any explorer. He is short, pudgy, and not athletic, but he is helped by some modern conveniences that Fawcett would have snickered at the prospect of using. If you so dare, strap on your machete and hack your way through the Amazon with Fawcett, and see if the jungle will eat you or make you into a legend.

”Those whom the Gods intend to destroy they first make mad!”

The movie was released April 17th, 2017. I have not had a chance to watch it yet.

As a companion volume, I would recommend reading Candace Millard’s equally fascinating book The River of Doubt.

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten

View all my reviews

Justice League of America's Vibe, Vol. 1: Breach

Justice League of America's Vibe, Vol. 1: Breach by Geoff Johns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cisco Ramon also known as Vibe gained amazing abilities and this is his origin story.


I literally only read this because of Cisco's portrayal in The Flash.

If not for this portrayal, I imagine I would have never even known about Vibe. Cisco despite being different than his TV counterpart is still a really likeable character. Incredibly kind hearted, but not nearly as goofy. His origin story is the basic one for superheroes. An accident happened that gifted a teen with powers to help him protect the Earth. Unfortunately gaining his powers caused him to lose his oldest brother Armando.

The first two-thirds of this story was really enjoyable. Cisco was using his powers and gaining fame thanks to A.R.G.U.S. putting him on their Justice League team.

Cisco took his job seriously and did his best. Unfortunately the last third got into some weird mainly side story that derailed the great direction the story was traveling in. If not for the last third of the story I give this 4 stars without a doubt.

Vibe is an interesting title and I'd definitely read any other adventures of Cisco Ramon.

View all my reviews

The History of D Company During WWII

Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc--the Rangers Who Accomplished D-Day's Toughest Mission and Led the Way across Europe by Patrick K. O'Donnell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wants to be Band of Brothers and doesn't quite get there.

First off, I have the greatest respect for what these soldiers went through. It's because of that respect that I give my honest opinion of this book. Those who served in WWII deserve recognition for all they did. The men of Dog Company deserve a better book than Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc--the Rangers Who Accomplished D-Day's Toughest Mission and Led the Way across Europe .

That's not to say this is a bad book. However, the legacy of Dog Company could have been better preserved. The writing herein is at times mediocre. Most of the time it's adequate.

The lay-out of the story is what suffers the most. O'Donnell repeatedly points to Pointe du Hoc as the pinnacle of Dog Company's accomplishments during the war. REPEATEDLY. And then he describes the Pointe du Hoc event in the middle of the book and then goes on to tell the reader what D Company did for the rest of the war in Europe. Putting the climax in the middle of the book makes for a second half that drags. It seems like O'Donnell was stuck in the linear storytelling mindset and didn't know how to tell the tale otherwise.

His characterization falls short of Band of Brothers as well. I didn't get the sense that I really knew these guys. O'Donnell tried to make them feel like old friends, but it never clicked.

However, the subject matter itself provided the bond needed to make one feel heartbreak upon reading of the death of one of these valiant soldiers. It truly was an amazingly horrific time in recent history. If nothing else, Dog Company is yet another testament to the valor and horror.

View all my reviews

Red Right Hand

Red Right Hand by Levi Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Charlie is saved from some skinless dogs by the Man in Black, her savior proves to be worse than the threat, for he is Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos. Nyarlathotep has selected Charlie to be his acolyte and she has no choice in the matter...

As I've said before, I'm more interested in fiction influenced by HP Lovecraft than stories penned by old Howard himself. Red Right Hand fits the bill.

For all intents and purposes, Red Right Hand is some extremely gory urban fantasy. Charlie wins the cosmic horror lottery and winds up enslaved by Nyarlathotep. It seems old Nyarly wants to bump off two other Elder Gods on earth and have humanity all to himself. As Charlie serves the Crawling Chaos, her tortured past comes back to haunt her.

Levi Black's writing has some punch to it and is way more accessible than HP Lovecraft's. He weds cosmic horror, splatterpunk, and urban fantasy into a package that feels natural but nauseating at the same time. I also love that he worked HP Lovecraft into things as a character, much like Jonathan Howard did in Carter & Lovecraft.

Gods living among humans has been done before, as Charlie herself remarks, but I don't think much has been done with the Elder Gods in human form. The Man in Black takes Charlie and her friend Daniel on a tour of the Cthulhu mythos underground as he searches for his prey.

Charlie felt like a passenger in the story for the first fourth of the book but things picked up after that. I had a feeling where things might go but the final battle was still pretty crazy. The Sushi Priest and everything involving him was more than a little sanity blasting. The ending left things open enough for more Charlie Tristan Moore adventures, something I'd definitely be up for in some strange aeons.

While it wasn't the best mythos-influenced fiction I've ever read, Red Right Hand was still pretty bad ass. I'll be on the lookout for more Charlie and more Levi Black in the future. 3.5 out of 5 stars.




View all my reviews

BookExpo America and BookCon are a must go for Book Lovers

Book Expo 2017, http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/Home/ the premier book publishing event of the year is returning to the Jacob Javits Center in New York City this year. It is held May 31 through June 2, and then on June 3 and June 4, ReedPop, is also holding BookCon, a convention for the public.  Last year, Book Expo was held in Chicago, Illinois, but BookCon was also held during ComicCon  in New York City in October 2016 as an alternative publishing event.   ReedPop was trying to expand programming  during Comic Con.  It must have been successful because ReedPop is again holding BookCon at Comic Con on October 6-9 in New York City this year.

Why go to Book Expo or BookCon.

Its the swag.  If you are a blogger, librarian or book reviewer this is the event to attend. Hundreds of authors are at Book Expo. Authors sign and give away thousands of free books. I have interviewed librarians, who use the free books for summer reading programs or to see what books to get in the future.  Some of the free books are just advanced reading copies but many are the actual book.  In 2015, when we last attended Book Expo in New York City. the third day of the show was devoted to young adult and children books.  Besides getting free books, you can meet authors and talk to them, briefly, about their books and future plans.  There are over 400 exhibitors.

There are also panel discussions by authors and publishers and breakfast events, which sell out early.

The Adult Book and Author Breakfast will start the second day of the event. Whitney Cummings, the comedienne and writer will host and Stephen King, Owen King, Scott Kelly, Kenya Barris, Jesmyn Ward and Claire Messud will be impaneled at this event.

The Children's Book and Author Breakfast on Friday June 2 will kick off the third day of the event. Savannah Guthrie, the co-host of the Today Show on NBC and an author, will host, and Isla Fisher, the actress and first time author, will join Jason Reynolds, Marieko Nijkamp and Jennifer Weiner at a panel during the breakfast. 

 The giant publishing houses are present. Simon & Schuster,  Penguin Random House, Hatchette, Harper Collins, MacMillan have large areas, where their authors sign books and they have meetings. Smaller publishers like Sourcebooks, Chronicle, Doubleday, Scholastic, and Disney are typically present and will give away free books at their booths. Plus there is a huge area solely devoted to autographing free books.  Thirty or so lines, starting once the show opens, for an hour per author all day long, where people can line up to get free signed advanced publishing copies and free books signed by the authors.  

How do you get your free swag. Make sure to bring a suitcase and check it in the coat room, then as you get free swag, load it into your suitcase.  

The exhibitors run the gamut from the major publishing houses to people who will try to get your business.

There is also a section devoted solely to bloggers.

This is not a cheap ticket, but its worth a visit.

 ReedPop, the event organizer, has also instituted BookCon, which is open to the public on Saturday and Sunda.   Adult Tickets  (anyone over 12 years old) prior to May 5 are $35 for Saturday June 3 and $30 for Sunday June 4.  Kids 6-12 are just $10.  Tickets are $45 onsite on Saturday and $40 on Sunday.

BookCon has more limited free swag.  There are still free books but less of them, but there are also pay for books that are signed by authors.  In addition, there are huge halls filled with hundreds of people to see the feature speakers.  There is a lot to see:

On Dan Brown, acclaimed author of The Da Vinci Code will be on the main stage at 11:50 on Saturday.

Jeff Kinney, author of the Wimpy Kids novels, will be on the main stage at 12:45 on Saturday.

Rainbow Rowell, young adult author, will host an hour long panel at 12:15 on Saturday. My daughter has read all of her books.

Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo, YA fantasy authors, will also host an hour long panel on Saturday and delve into the world of fantasy at 12:30.

Young Adult authors Sarah Dessen, Shannon Hale, Morgan Matson and Jenny Han will host a panel  at 1:45 to 2:45.

Tor Science Fiction and Fantasy will hold a panel discussion with John Scalzi, Charlie Jane Anders, Cory Doctorow, Annalee Newitz will discuss science fiction and fantasy.

There is something for everyone.

This year Kevin Hart will be a featured speaker on Sunday. There will be 3 separate meet and greets, at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:45 and one live Q & A where he will be interviewed at 4:00 pm., Each event is $30, but you will  get a free copy of his new book.  At the Meet and Greet, you can get a photo with Kevin Hart.  See  http://www.thebookcon.com/Events/Kevin-Hart-FAQ/ for more information.

BookExpo and BookCon , five days of books, authors, free swag, speakers, authors, movie and tv stars.

It's a must go. Hope to see you there.

Fish & Chips

Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Dreamspinner Press
Reviewed by Nancy
5 out of 5 stars

Summary

Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett are back on the job, settled into a personal and professional relationship built on fierce protectiveness and blistering passion. Now they're assigned to impersonate two members of an international smuggling ring-an out-and-proud married couple-on a Christmas cruise in the Caribbean. As their boss says, surely they'd rather kiss each other than be shot at, and he has no idea how right he is. Portraying the wealthy criminals requires a particular change in attitude from Ty and Zane while dealing with the frustrating waiting game of their assignment. As it begins to affect how they treat each other in private, Ty and Zane realize there's more to being partners than watching each other's backs, and when the case takes an unexpected turn and threatens Ty's life, Ty and Zane will have to navigate seas of white lies and stormy secrets, including some of their own.

My Review

I’ve read lots of books that are parts of series. Though I’ve enjoyed many of them, I find it difficult to complete an entire series. Sometimes the series is too long, or too much time passes between books that I pick up other books and lose interest. Sometimes the plots and structure are too formulaic and the characters show little development. Sometimes the story and characters are moving in a direction not to my liking.

So far, I’m really enjoying this series featuring FBI agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett. The stories are fun, entertaining, suspenseful, sexy, and full of emotion. I’m tempted to read one book after the other, but feel maximum enjoyment will best be achieved by pacing myself. That way, I won’t tire of the characters, the writing style, or notice little inconsistencies.

One of the things I really enjoy is the slow buildup of Ty’s and Zane’s relationship. As partners, they work effectively together and have a high level of trust. On the personal side, however, both men have secrets and issues best not explored. There is no question the guys are in love. Their actions show it, even if the words are not forthcoming.

“Falling in love or just plain falling: they were both terrifying at any speed.”

An undercover assignment on a luxury Caribbean cruise ship gives Ty and Zane the perfect opportunity to explore their feelings while masquerading as Corbin and Del Porter, a married couple involved in the theft of numerous high-end and rare artworks. It was fun seeing Ty and Zane wear fake wedding bands and change their hairstyle, clothing and mannerisms to create a convincing cover for themselves while gathering information about Corbin and Del’s contacts. It is Corbin (Zane) who is the “brains” of the operation while Del (Ty) is there to soak up the rays and be an attractive companion. Ty and Zane get into their roles so successfully that they have a hard time distinguishing between playacting and their own feelings.

As in the last two books, there is tension, danger, sizzling romance, and relationship growth. While Ty is more open about his feelings in this story, Zane is still reticent. I hope future installments provide more insight into Zane’s past.

I’m officially hooked on Ty and Zane and looking forward to more of their adventures.

City of Miracles

City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thirteen long years Sigrud je Harkvaldsson has waited. He has waited to hear from his friend Shara Komayd that it is finally ok for him to come home. Sigrud's hopes are snuffed out like a candle when he learns Shara has been assassinated. Sigrud decides to find and make those responsible for her murder pay...it does not matter if they are man or divine.

City of Miracles was an excellent conclusion to The Divine Cities trilogy. I have to admit I wasn't sure if I was really interested in reading it as I wasn't overly fond of City of Blades. Once I learned the story centered around Sigrud I had to read it. Sigrud was an excellent protagonist. His dogged determination and surprising cunning make him a man that no sane person would wish to fight.

The storytelling excelled in City of Miracles. The author laid the groundwork for much of what happened in City of Stairs. Many questions I hadn't truly considered asking were answered and new mysteries unfolded smoothly throughout the book.

There is so much I wish I could say about City of Miracles, but I won't because I don't want to remove the slightest part of the mystery for anyone. City of Miracles may be my favorite book in the series.

4 out of 5 stars

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


View all my reviews

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear by Frank Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The journey that transformed Matt Murdock into Daredevil had many twists and a few key people. His love for fighting came from his father, but he promised to be better than his Dad by not fighting. His life changed when an accident sprayed him with chemicals costing him his sight get giving back more than most people could imagine.


Matt Murdock's origin story is one I'm fairly familiar with even though I have rarely read any Daredevil stories. It was interesting seeing Stick training Matt after he was blinded.


I have to say the stylistic choice for Elektra's look was quite surprising. She's basically looked the same for as long as I can remember, but she really didn't resemble the Elektra I'm familiar with.

I enjoyed the fact that Matt's heightened senses seemed to take a back seat to his training. His senses were still mentioned, but it was done in a way that didn't diminish Matt into being an individual who is helpless without his gift.

I have heard for a long time that Frank Miller did Daredevil right and I must admit after reading The Man Without Fear, I agree.

View all my reviews

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON BY DAVID GRANN

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

”Today our hearts are divided between two worlds. We are strong and courageous, learning to walk in these two worlds, hanging on to the threads of our culture and traditions as we live in a predominantly non-Indian society. Our history, our culture, our heart, and our home will always be stretching our legs across the plains, singing songs in the morning light, and placing our feet down with the ever beating heart of the drum. We walk in two worlds.”

The Osage Indians lived in Kansas until the 1870s when the government decided that their land was too valuable for them to own. Laura Ingalls Wilder, writer of Little House on the Prairie, was confused as to why the Osage Indians were being forced off their land. Her father explained: ”That’s why we’re here, Laura. White people are going to settle all this country, and we get the best land because we get here first and take our pick.”

Indians were looked on as a subspecies of human being who didn’t deserve to breath and certainly didn’t deserve to own any useful land. The Osage Indians were moved to Northeastern Oklahoma on a patch of ground that was deemed worthless.

But was it?

When oil was discovered beneath the reservation land in the 1920s, those dirt scratching Indians became extremely wealthy. The federal government, due to the Osages’ inherent racial weakness, deemed them incapable of managing their own affairs and appointed guardians to manage their affairs, white guardians. As an example, if an Osage wanted a car, the guardian would buy a car for $250 and sell it to the Indian for $1,250. The definition of guardian used words such as protector or defender. It didn’t say anything about exploiter.

This is a tale of greed, but unfortunately, it didn’t stop there.

It became murder.

When the suspicious deaths of Osage Indians reached twenty-four, the fledgling director of the Bureau of Investigations ( It would not be called the Federal Bureau of Investigations until 1935.) J. Edgar Hoover decided that he needed Federal agents on the ground. Hoover had already been systematically removing agents from the program that did not meet his criteria for education level and impeccable character. The agents out West, many of them ex-Texas Rangers, did not fit either of those profiles, but Hoover was smart enough to realize that, for a case like this, spit shined shoes and snappy ties were not going to get the job done.

He sent in Tom White, one of those disreputable former Texas Rangers. White brought some people in as undercover agents, and slowly the details of what was going on began to shimmer into view. The problem was witnesses disappeared or clammed up when they were asked to testify at trial. One white man who was trying to help the Osage was mysteriously thrown from a train. Another was kidnapped. Building a case was one thing, but actually prosecuting someone was not easy. It became more and more clear that this was not the act of just one man, but a conspiracy.

”A conspiracy is everything that ordinary life is not. It’s the inside game, cold, sure, undistracted, forever closed off to us. We are the flawed ones, the innocents, trying to make some rough sense of the daily jostle. Conspirators have a logic and a daring beyond our reach. All conspiracies are the same taut story of men who find coherence in some criminal act. “
--Don DeLillo, Libra

Meanwhile, the murders continued unabated. Osages were shot, poisoned, stabbed, and even in one case blown up with dynamite. The ruthlessness with which they were systematically eliminated was actually terrifying. I can’t even imagine the level of fear that the tribe was living under. Death was not a nebulous unknown creature, but was actually embodied by members of their community intent on their destruction.

The other problem was that white people felt the Indians did not deserve the money. The adage the only good Indian is a dead Indian was still in common use, especially if anyone encountered a situation where Indian ownership was in their way.

David Grann has done a wonderful job of investigating these murders. Though some people were incarcerated for the crimes back in the 1920s, the more Grann dug, the more threads he found that led to other guardians who should have been investigated more thoroughly as well. The descendents of those murdered Osage still want closer. They still want justice, even if the killers are moldering in their graves. ”The blood cries out from the ground.”

”During Xtha-cka Zbi-ga Tze-the, the Killer of the Flowers Moon.
I will wade across the river of the blackfish, the otter, the beaver.
I will climb the bank where the willow never dies.”

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten

View all my reviews