Lady Kestrel's Book Nook - 2014

[LadyKestrel]

Skin Game by Jim Butcher
This is the 16th book in the Dresden Files series, and it’s a real humdinger of an adventure. Harry Dresden, wizard and Winter Knight for Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness, has been summoned to participate in a scheme to help pay off one of Mab’s debts. Unfortunately, it involves teaming up with Harry’s arch-nemesis, Nicodemus Archleone, and a bunch of other unsavory characters in order to break into the most secure vault in Chicago. Harry is needed to open the doorway from the vault into a parallel vault in the Nevernever, owned by Hades, god of the underworld. The mission is to grab the Holy Grail from Hades’ vast collection of treasures, and to return again without being killed by any number of beings, human or otherwise, who might want him dead.

Butcher writes some of the best urban fantasy stories around, and this one, with it’s suspenseful plot twists and surprises, is an excellent addition to the series.

[Rosaboobie]

Have you read all the books in this series, LadyK?

[LadyKestrel]

Yes, I have, Boobie. I got hooked on the books after watching the tv series starring the handsome Paul Blackthorne.

[LadyKestrel]

Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett
The Discworld series of novels has given me countless hours of reading pleasure, and this one, the fourtieth, is no exception. Simply said, it's about the invention of the steam locomotive, but as with all of the Discworld novels, nothing is ever simple. Vetinari, patrician of Ankh-Morpork, puts Moist von Lipwig, former scoundrel and thief and presently appointed master of the post office, the mint and the Royal Bank, in charge of making sure the development of the railway system goes smoothly. Moist has a winning personality and an uncanny knack for getting people to cooperate with whatever he (or the patrician) wants them to do, but this job will be a real challenge for even his skills. He has to cope with angry dwarves who don't want changes, goblins who want in on the action, land owners who want to make deals, finicky engineers, and train spotters, gawkers, and passengers, all the while trying to make a profit and still keeping everyone safe. The ride through the novel is a wild one but marvelous fun. I give it 5 stars and two thumbs up!

[Kickaha]

Wow 40 Discworld novels! Are there really that many!

Keep these book reviews coming - I like checking what other people like partly because I'm always on the lookout for authors new to me.

Another test edit: please ignore.

[LadyKestrel]

The 40 include his 5 young adult novels and two illustrated ones.

[Diat60]

I have them all, including Nanny Ogg's Cookbook and the Ankh-Morpork maps, all good for reading and rereading. I've got Raising Steam but have only read it partway. I find, unfortunately and probably due to Mr. Pratchett's deteriorating condition, that the later books lack the magic touch the earlier ones had. I went back and reread the Witches series and found parts that made me laugh out loud, also anything with Rincewind in, but this new one seems a bit of a slog. However, I shall try again just as soon as my second eye has it's cataract removed in November (rather sounds as if I have a possible third or fourth eye).

[LadyKestrel]

I think you'll find a few pleasant surprises, especially near the end, Diat.

Edit: This is a test for GL. Please ignore.