Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

Reviewed by Laurie

I wasn’t sure if I should read this trilogy or not.  I mean, I’d heard all the rumors.  I envisioned it would be something like The Story of O (yes, I’m a product of the 60s). So I did what anyone would do in my situation:  I asked my 23 year old daughter if she thought I was “old enough” to read Fifty Shades.  She basically told me I could handle it and I started reading it.

It’s the story of this naïve young student named Anastasia who goes to interview wealthy, young, handsome entrepreneur Christian Grey. Sparks fly. They’re both intrigued by each other but young Mr. Grey has some um, unusual preferences and some demons from his past that may be too much for Anastasia to handle.

This is a book you will either love or hate. There is page after page of sex.  Just as some books are too descriptive, this is too sexually explicit in sections.  It’s not well written.  The characters can be annoying and the same vocabulary is used again and again.   There is a contract which defines their (very explicit) sexual relationship which had terms I did not know.  There are also some sexual items used which I didn’t know.  Of course I asked my daughter for definitions.

As I said before, this is a book you will love or hate.  I loved it.  I think it’s one of the best modern day romance series I have read.  I would even be willing to read it again, and I just might before the movie comes out.   How can I say that after I’ve just told you all the things wrong with it? When all is said and done, it’s a very good love story.  I just can’t resist a conflicted man and an innocent girl.  Ah, romance….

In case you want to read all three, the books in order are Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

Oathblood by Mercedes Lackey

Reviewed by Holly White

Oathblood, the third in the Vows and Honor trilogy, which also includes Oathbound and Oathbreakers, surprised me.  It turned out to be less of a sequel, and more of a series of short stories about Tarma and Kethry.  Not that they are not good short stories, but I was just expecting the next novel-length book in the series. Now that I look back on it, however, I can see that the story was more or less complete at the end of Oathbreakers.  That being said, they were interesting in themselves, and some of them do help to flesh out the story of Tarma and Kethry more.  Some of them were, in fact, short stories taken from the novels I had already read.  Some took place chronologically before, during, and after the novels.  I will give a brief synopsis of each one here, including where the story falls chronologically if I can.

Tarma and Kethry’s story seems to fall into four distinct sections: 
1.    Before they met
2.    After they met and became traveling mercenaries (covered in Oathbound)
3.    When they joined with the mercenary group called Idra’s Sunhawks (covered in Oathbreakers)
4.    When they at last settled down and fulfilled their dream of establishing their training school (hinted at in the ending of Oathbreakers).

“Sword-sworn” takes place before Oathbound.  This one details the near-annihilation of Tarma’s clan, tells how Tarma and Kethry met, and explains what made them decide to become blood-sisters.




All the following stories are set during Oathbound but do not appear as part of the narrative unless noted.

“Turn-about”  is part of the Oathbound narrative.  This is the story of how they cleverly stopped the bandits that had been raiding a merchant caravan, and then devised a fitting punishment for the chief of the bandits.

“The Making of a Legend” takes up the story of  Leslac, the pesky minstrel, who had been publicizing Tarma and Kethry’s exploits and altruism without ever having met them.  Leslac spread the word that they would save damsels in distress, but that they deigned to accept mere money in return, much to the detriment of their purse, and to their annoyance.   This story tells what happened when they actually did cross paths.

“Keys” is also a part of  Oathbound.  This tells the story of how Kethry solves a murder mystery in order to save Tarma’s life.

 “A Woman’s Weapon” is the tale of how our heroes prevented a murder from taking place, and turned the tables on the would-be murderer. 

In “The Talisman,” the women defeat a mage who has let power go to her head.

I like “A Tale of Heroes;” it’s one of those romantic stories where, even though you can see how it’s going to end, you still want to read it, because you can see how all of the pieces are going to fit together in the end with a nice little “click.”  It’s very satisfying to read and find out how that comes about.

“Friendly Fire” shows how Tarma and Kethry react to a “Murphy’s Law” kind of day.

 The next three stories are set after Oathbreakers and none are included in the book

“Wings of Fire” hints at what life is like for the women after their school has been established and tells about a daring rescue our heroes perpetrate with a surprising plot twist.  This story also incorporates Mercedes Lackey’s personal love and admiration for birds of prey.

“Spring Plowing at Forst Reach” is also set during the school years. It tells how they tamed a friend’s horses for spring plowing using a “horse whispering” technique, and how they found steady work for two dear ex-merc friends into the bargain.

“Oathblood” is a longer short story, probably the real sequel to the second book in the series. This story goes into much more detail about life in the training school, and how the women find their place. After being kidnapped by fanatics, two of their young students cleverly use various parts of their training to stay alive.  Tarma and Kethry attempt a rescue with the help of an unexpected ally.

I really enjoyed this book of stories about Tarma and Kethry.  It would also stand well on its own, but again, I always get more out of sequels if I have already come to know and love the characters elsewhere.  If you love Oathbound and Oathbreaker, you will love these as well. The final story "Oathblood," especially, gives a lovely denouement to the climactic ending of Oathbreaker

The next review will be about By the Sword which is a stand-alone novel about Kethry's granddaughter. Look for it the first Friday in November!

Nevermore: Haywood Smith, Neil Gaiman, & Paulo C

As we’ve said before, the folks of Nevermore read widely.  Here are some of the fiction books they’ve discussed recently:

Haywood Smith is back with another laugh out loud book about the problems of folks of a certain age. In Out of Warranty, recent widow Cassie is struggling with the sudden loss of both her husband and her health insurance.  She’s been told her illness is psychosomatic, but when a diagnosis is finally made she has no way of paying for treatment and the bills are mounting rapidly.  Cassie decides she needs to find a new husband with insurance, but where does one meet such a man these days?  While waiting at the doctor’s office for the umpteenth time, she meets Jack, a curmudgeonly recluse who agrees to help her set up an online dating account.  The book takes on real life problems with humor and the main character, Cassie, is one most people can relate to.  Our reader enjoyed it.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman was a bit of a challenge for our Nevermore reviewer.  The premise is that the Old Gods—the Norse gods, the Celtic, etc.—traveled to the New World from the Old World, brought over by the immigrants.  The problem is that they’re weakening as their believers dwindle so they decide the only way they can regain their power is to take on the gods of the New World in epic battle. Who are these new gods?  Well, they’re sort of the soul of America, from outlandish roadside attractions to the latest and greatest in personal technology or finance. Our reviewer said he found it unbelievable but compelling.  He wasn’t quite sure where the author was going because the story seemed to go all over the place and yet at the end he could see it had all been well planned and executed.  He says he’s glad he read it so I’ll take that as a recommendation.

Several Nevermore readers are fans of Paulo Coelho and were looking forward to his latest, Manuscript Found in Accra.  Our reader was disappointed.  While Coelho’s writing was as lovely as ever and the ideas /philosophies beautifully expressed, this book doesn’t have much in the way of a narrative structure.  The premise has a group of people under siege who go to a wise man for answers.  They ask a series of questions and he replies.  The result, while interesting, didn’t carry the power of some of Coelho’s other works, such as The Alchemist.

The Nevermore Book Club meets every Tuesday at 11:00 am in the Frances E. Kegley Conference Room. Enjoy coffee and doughnuts courtesy of Blackbird Bakery while hearing about some good books!

Nevermore: Whitey Bulger, Grant Wood, & Fixing the Climate

James “Whitey” Bulger is one of the best known modern crime figures, even more so after the recent trial which resulted in his conviction for racketeering, involvement in multiple murders, and several other charges. Several factors make Bulger’s case particularly compelling:  his family connections (a brother was a state senator, while another was a court clerk magistrate), his claims of being granted immunity by the FBI, and his eluding capture for over a decade.  Whitey Bulger:  America’s Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt that Brought Him to Justice by Kevin Cullen is an exhaustive look at Bulger’s life and crimes, with “exhaustive” being the key word, according to our reviewer.  She did find it fascinating enough to plow through to the end.

Grant Wood:  A Life by R. Tripp Evans explores the life of an artist whom most people know for “American Gothic,” the painting of the farm couple with the man holding a pitchfork.  It’s one of the most parodied American paintings, showing up as everything from a promo for a reality TV show to cat jewelry.  Yet most people know very little about the artist behind the painting, including that he worked in a variety of mediums from stained glass to metalwork.  Our reader says this book really explores who Grant Wood was, taking the reader behind the plain, all- American persona he created to look for the real person.  The book also offers some intriguing insights regarding some of Wood’s work.  The author is a professor of Art History at Wheaton College.

Roger Pielke, Jr., a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado, was tired of having scientific facts bent to serve various political agendas, so he set out to write a book to separate fact from hyperbole.  Pielke’s goal is to make an argument for climate policies that will work and that have a chance of being implemented instead of pushing for meaningless objectives.   The resulting book is The Climate Fix:  What Scientists and Politicians Won’t Tell You About Global Warming. Our reader thought there were a number of helpful explanations which made the debate clearer.

Christmas in October!

It seems the holidays come faster and faster these days.  This year I saw Halloween items out after the Fourth of July; by Labor Day there were aisles of fall goods.As of September 12,  I saw the Christmas items being stocked on shelves.

The book world isn't immune to the phenomenon either. There are a number of Christmas themed books coming out in October, including some by favorite authors which should be showing up on our reserve list.  Here are some you many want to add to your list:


Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews begins with Meg Langslow after some holiday pranksters who put skunks in a church, but then a murder enters the picture as well.

Silent Night is a Spenser story begun by Robert B. Parker and completed by Helen Brann.  Spenser and Hawk are on the case when a teenage boy tells them his mentor is being threatened.

Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson is a holiday themed Longmire story in which a young woman brings back memories of Walt’s first year as a sheriff and raises questions about Walt’s predecessor.

Anne Perry, best known her Thomas & Charlotte Pitt and Monk mysteries, has written a Christmas themed book each year for the last decade or so.  This year’s title is A Christmas Hope.

Starry Night by Debbie Macomber has the joys and comforts of Christmas, as might be expected from this best-selling author.

Thomas Kinkade’s Cape Light:  Songs of Christmas by Katherine Spencer will be out in early November.  Spencer was often credited as co-author of the Kinkade books, both the Cape Light and Angel Island series. 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Reviewed by Jeanne

Have you ever tried to remember something from your childhood? Not the stories told over and over, but some of those half-remembered exploits that seem almost dreamlike, leaving you to ponder whether something really happened or not.  That’s the tone of the latest novel from Neil Gaiman, his first adult book in some years. 

As the story opens, a man is seeking to slip away from a funeral for awhile. He decides to go for a drive and ends up at a house he lived in as a child, following the road to an old farmhouse where he used to play with a girl named Lettie who lived there with her mother and grandmother.  Odd how he had forgotten all about it, but then he begins to remember in bits and pieces at first, then more fully about that time.  Money had been tight so his family took in a lodger, a man who stole the family car and then committed suicide.  Strange events begin take over, coins found and then hurled, good intentions gone awry as something has been unleashed. An odd woman appears at his house, one who charms and seduces the boy’s parents and sister, while menacing the boy.  The narrator becomes the focus of two opposing forces, one seeking to preserve the world while the other will destroy it.

This book is a good example of how a powerful and sophisticated story can be told in few pages, and should serve as an object lesson for any number of writers today who feel the need to pad their books with a lot of unnecessary detail.  (My personal theory is that this is one reason YA literature has become so popular with adults.  Some authors seem to lose sight of idea of storytelling and pack in unnecessary side plots and scenes which do little to advance character or plot.  YA books tend to get to the point.) Even though the scenes are remembered, the horror comes through strongly, without being overly graphic; they’re bone-chilling rather than gory.

Gaiman is at the top of his game here, employing beautiful prose and imagery while making the fantastical seem real as he seamlessly blends reality, fantasy and folklore into an unforgettable tale.  I know it’s one I’ll remember for a long, long time, and –like the narrator—periodically revisit, to see if what I’ve remembered is true.

And if you haven’t read Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, I would recommend it as well.  It’s classified as a children’s book and is a Newbery Award winner.  It can be summed up by a variation on a proverb:  It takes a graveyard to raise a child.

A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin

Reviewed by Jeanne

Sherlock Holmes seems to be everywhere these days.  Two TV series, one American and one British, feature modern versions of the great sleuth and both are successful.  Movies continue to be made, the most recent series of films featuring Robert Downey, Jr. as Holmes.  One would think that a character created back in 1887 would have worn out his welcome by now, but people keep molding him in slightly new images to suit the times.

To add to this present bounty of Sherlocks, I read recently that Sir Ian MacKellen will play the Great Detective in a movie based on the book A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin.  I’ve read a number of Sherlock pastiches but had not read this one, so I decided to give it a try.

It’s 1947 and a ninety-three year old Sherlock has retired to the county to keep bees.  He is a shadow of his former self; his mind plays tricks on him, and he loses track of both events and people and yet, he still has dazzling moments of clarity and memory.  He walks with two canes, and is looked after by a housekeeper and Roger, her young son, who has taken an interest in bees as well.  He still receives inquiries from all over the world, dismissing most, but occasionally taking an interest in a letter—mostly those to do with bees and royal jelly, not cases to be solved.  He has recently taken a trip to post-war Japan on one such errand, but is having some trouble recalling the details.  Meanwhile, Roger has come across an account of a case Holmes dealt with years before, but that account is woefully incomplete.  It involves a woman who captured Holmes’ imagination, though he can’t quite say why and the boy hopes that some day he will learn what happened.

Time moves back and forth in this beautifully written novel, with Sherlock recalling times long past while being unable to hang on to some parts of the present.  There are at least three main story threads, involving Roger who obviously worships Holmes, the long ago lady whose husband was sure she was involved in something untoward, and the Japanese gentleman who has an ulterior motive for contacting Holmes.  Sherlock’s observations, weariness, and meditations make for a fully realized character, someone quite different from the occasional one-dimensional versions of the character.

This is much more a literary novel than most Sherlock stories; in fact, it would have succeeded if the author had chosen the beekeeper to be someone other than Holmes, but using Sherlock does give the book an added poignancy.  The sections set in Japan after the Bomb are particularly memorable; again, not quite what I would have expected.  I’d recommend this to anyone who likes a well-written novel, but one in which not all answers are revealed.  If you’re a thriller or mystery fan, this might not be your cup of tea. And yes, I enjoyed it, though I do admit all the time-shifting sometimes made me pause and try to reorient my thoughts. The title is very well chosen, I think.

And I'll be really interested to see how they film this! Ian MacKellen should make quite a fascinating Holmes.