“Finn,” by Jon Clinch

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 10
2. Prose 10
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

I love the idea of spinning off a novel from a classic, especially when it's done well as it is here. Another great example is "Caliban," by Robert Devereaux, which tells Shakespeare’s story, "The Tempest," from the perspective of the most depraved character in the work, the son of the evil witch, Sycorax. "Finn" echoes that idea, with arguably the most depraved character in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the starring role. This is a very dark work, exploring the psychotic mess that is Huck Finn's father in the original work and filling in the details with some vivid and disturbing images of the river-dwelling alcoholic. The literary perfectionism of the prose offers a highly effective contrast to the seamy, almost barbaric actions and language of the characters. Several distinctive dialog devices add to the almost allegorical quality of the story. The author includes an explanation at the end for some of the most extreme ornamentations of the original novel, especially the idea that Huck's mother was a black woman. The sheer depravity of Mr. Finn is so powerfully portrayed that I actually felt myself being negatively influenced by the man. What better compliment can one pay to an author than that?



Dear Readers!

This is the last post that will show on this Blogspot page. The club is being moved to Facebook!

The new location on FB is Foreverman's Book Club. We will continue with the same format for now, with possible wrinkles to allow for the new format. 

Next month marks the 6th anniversary of the club and, as every April, will begin with a book by Dean Koontz.

Here's the April line-up!
"The Silent Corner," by Dean Koontz [4-7-18]
(My favorite Author for many years)
"The Forever Man," by Gordon R. Dickson [4-14-18]
(Representing Sci-Fi, originally my favorite genre)
"The Black Cat Knocks on Wood," by Kay Finch [4-21-18]
(Representing Cozy Mysteries, my current favorite genre)
"The Good, the Bad, and the Undead," by Kim Harrison [4-28-18]
(Representing my love of "dark" stories)

Hope to see you at the new site! Happy Reading!

“Caught Dead Handed,” by Carol J. Perry

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 8
3. Plot 9
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

It's almost hard to justify giving a "just-for-fun" novel like this an overall rating of a "9". But this one is so skillfully rendered and the mechanisms of the Mystery aspect so artfully executed that I feel it deserves the rating. Could be I'm just a sucker for the trappings of this story: the supernatural element, the witches, tarot cards, crystal balls, visions, and more; the ambiance of these things. And if the premise had been even more evil or creepy or other-worldly, I might have given the premise a "10". People who "aren't into" these things (and don't misunderstand - I'm perhaps the most skeptical person you have ever encountered when it comes to the supernatural - I just like it in my fiction, where it belongs!) - those people might not get past the first few chapters before losing interest. As it turns out, the solution to the mystery is explainable by science, even if the science involves the psychiatric muddle of split personalities. The subtitle: "A Witch City Mystery," is merely a reference to Salem, Massachusetts, and some of the back story there is consistent with my own scant research into the topic. I had wondered if the setting was going to be a mythical place inhabited by witches. Oh well, maybe in Perry's next series. As for this series, I will be looking at the sequels soon enough - but for now it's time to move on.

Here’s the April line-up!
"The Silent Corner," by Dean Koontz [4-7-18]
"The Forever Man," by Gordon R. Dickson [4-14-18]
"The Black Cat Knocks on Wood," by Kay Finch [4-21-18]
"The Good, the Bad, and the Undead," by Kim Harrison [4-28-18]

“Sackett,” by Louis L'Amour

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 8
2. Prose 7
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 7
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

A while back, I picked up a book by Mr. L'Amour - "The Haunted Mesa" - with the idea of finally getting around to experiencing what it's like to read him. My grandfather as well as many of his peers was a huge fan of Louis L'Amour and I had finally gotten past my aversion to all things Western to give it a shot. (The excellent movie, "Silverado," probably played a large role in this.) As it turned out, "The Haunted Mesa" takes place in the modern-day Four Corners area, so when I finished, I still hadn't accomplished my purpose! Well, this time I made sure I knew what I was reading, and sure enough, found the book quite enjoyable. The man can write. That's a great start in itself. The best surprise, though not an unexpected one, was that L'Amour's descriptions of the natural world of the Rocky Mountain area in particular, are very impressive. The lawlessness, the utter dependence on one's own resources, the relentlessness of the weather and the elements: all these things really hit home in the first-person narrative of a relatively uneducated, but otherwise very savvy protagonist. Throughout the story, our hero compares himself unfavorably to his well-educated brothers, who nevertheless can shoot a gun as well as he can and track an animal or man almost as well. He carries a law book by Blackstone with him wherever he goes and tries to get as much meaning from his awkward attempts at reading it as he can. He feels that a "real" man should be educated as well, though other characters in the story think of him as one of a rare breed of "real" men due to his abilities as a marksman, tracker, and survivor of impossible odds. This is great Escapist reading, especially today when more and more of us are becoming strangers to the wild. Yes, there are more of these wonderful novels in my future!



Here’s the April line-up!
"The Silent Corner," by Dean Koontz [4-7-18]
"The Forever Man," by Gordon R. Dickson [4-14-18]
"The Black Cat Knocks on Wood," by Kay Finch [4-21-18]
"The Good, the Bad, and the Undead," by Kim Harrison [4-28-18]

“A Dirty Job,” by Christopher Moore

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 9
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This was the first book I read by this author, and I feel so violated! Actually, the style of writing, the subject matter, everything about this book is right on target with me. I couldn't help comparing him to Chuck Palahniuk, which is unfair to both writers because of the significant differences. Palahniuk's humor is much more understated and Moore's philosophical bent, although just a twisted as Palahniuk's, plays a secondary role to his hilarity. Great stuff - looking to read much more of Moore!

“V is for Vengeance,” by Sue Grafton

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 8
2. Prose 9
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 9
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This marks my first departure from reading this series in order. I read the first ten books, "A" through "J," and have now skipped forward a dozen books to "V." Has the series evolved? I would say yes, quite a bit, and in ways that I find appealing. The most important added feature is the alternation between first-person narrative by Kinsey Millhone and third-person narrative featuring Dante and Nora. Other authors have used this technique well; Joan Hess with her "Maggody" series comes to mind; and Grafton handles it masterfully as well. Particularly interesting is the meeting of Dante and Kinsey late in the book wherein we get to see Kinsey from another person's perspective. She comes off differently to someone - especially to a gangster - who is meeting her for the first time than she appears to herself, and that perspective shift is depicted here beautifully. Will I eventually read all of the books in this series? Oddly, that's not necessarily a goal, even though I enjoy them very much. Sad that she didn't get to Z (Or will she ? "Z is for Zombie"?) but I intend to read W, X (I still think "X" should have been "...is for Xenophobe" but who am I to second-guess Ms. Grafton?), and Y before returning to K. I also recommend her book "Kinsey and Me," with some of the best short story writing I have experienced!

“The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum,” by Kirsten Weiss

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 8
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

Here is yet another "Cozy" that turns out to be a real jewel. The paranormal elements are mostly relegated to a secondary role, but succeed in providing a nice atmosphere nevertheless. The liveliness of the prose keeps our attention fairly riveted throughout and the romantic interest is kept low-key enough to add an effective counterpoint to the plot. The protagonist is very likable, and the plot is a great example of what the standard Mystery readership is expecting. The wonderful colorfulness of the book cover is mirrored in the story; and I found myself looking for other works by Ms. Weiss, finding several that pique my interest - including some fascinating-looking Steampunk works. Thanks, Ms. Weiss: I'll be seeing you again soon!

“The Three Musketeers,” by Alexandre Dumas

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 5
2. Prose 6
3. Plot 4
4. Characters 6
5. Overall 5

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This was a pretty big surprise, and not in a good way. I have put off reading this for literally decades, mostly because I have a dislike for reading a book of which I already know a lot about the story. I still have not read “Tom Sawyer” for that reason. I cases like this, I often will read an author’s relatively lesser known books first; as I did with Dumas, reading “The Count of Monte Cristo” first, and with Hawthorne, reading “The Marble Faun” (MUCH better than “The Scarlet Letter” by the way!) first. Having enjoyed “The Count…” rather well, despite its lengthiness, I came to this book with high expectations, after my son had encouraged me to read it for years. All my positive expectations went unmet. I do understand why it’s a classic; it has the same action-packed pace and excitement as Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe” minus the coherence of plot or premise. It has the same random aimlessness as “Don Quixote” but without the justification that “Don Quixote” has of being precisely that kind of work as a fundamental premise. The characters are mostly stereotypical, but even the stereotypes are bland. And the title is misleading. This isn’t a book about three musketeers at all; those characters are supporting cast, at best, for d’Artagnan or even more so for Milady, Sir Buckingham, and the Cardinal. It’s like calling “The Lord of the Rings” “The Perils of Merry and Pippin.” The pace is fast and furious throughout most of the book, disallowing any deeper exploration of themes or development of characters. Then suddenly we hit a plot point where 5 entire chapters are devoted to Milady’s captivity, describing in great detail her attempts to escape. This book is a mess! I remember thinking that the movie made of this novel a few years back seemed like rather a silly attempt to re-cast an important work. Now I think I see why it was so vacuous. My son loves it but has no use for The Beatles. I love The Beatles but have no use for this book. We discussed this and it helped us to understand our relative perspectives. How can I think so little of a book that has been cherished by millions all over the world for many, many decades? Equivalently, how can he feel that same way about The Beatles? I hear “The Man in the Iron Mask” is quite good. But it might be a long while before a give it a go.

Here’s the March line-up:
"V is for Vengeance," by Sue Grafton [3-3-18]

"A Dirty Job," by Christopher Moore [3-10-18]

"Sackett," by Louis L'Amour [3-17-18]

"Caught Dead Handed," by Carol J. Perry [3-24-18]
"Finn," by Jon Clinch [3-31-18]

“The Ape Who Guards the Balance,” by Elizabeth Peters

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 6
2. Prose 7
3. Plot 5
4. Characters 10
5. Overall 7

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

Yes, a rather lopsided grouping of ratings. The book is worth reading, if only for the excellent characters; but only just. The plot line is so ridiculously “padded,” encumbered by so much pointless literary ornamentation that it’s almost possible to miss it completely until near the end. The prose verges on stilted, but wouldn’t detract as much if the plot held together better. The setting would get an “8” or a “9” for its uniqueness and atmosphere, but the visual aspect is limited to colorful sunrises, sunsets, and sparse descriptions of the, well, sparseness of the Egyptian desert. Oh, and dress. As a male, I simply didn’t place as much importance on the descriptions of wardrobe as did the author. The premise tries to be more interesting than your standard murder attempts, but doesn’t really impress. But the characters – very effectively realized much more so than in other books I’ve read by the same writer. The love interests are actually a plus; not merely standard fare for a novel aimed at a female readership, but intelligently explored. My wife, who is extremely picky about works of fiction and not at all susceptible to “chick-lit”, actually recommended this book to me, but I believe the aspects she enjoyed were the same as mine. It’s been a long time since I read one of Peters’ books; and it may be even longer until the next one.

“The Right Attitude To Rain,” by Alexander McCall Smith

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 6
2. Prose 7
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 7

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This series has always been in danger of being labeled "Boring" with it's emphasis on pedagogical philosophy. McCall Smith adds philosophical questions like a spice to all is writing, but more so here, with a protagonist who edits a philosophy journal as her occupation. The first two books in the series evade the "Boring" label with plenty of amateur sleuthing thrown in to keep the suspense going. This one focuses more on romantic relationships and the philosophical questions that such a topic entails. As usual with this author, there are some very poignant moments, but the prose barely carries the weight of the interest. The chief issue with the prose is the prominence of a rather odd idiosyncrasy of ending a spoken paragraph with a reiteration of a fragment of the last sentence. "So-and-so said such-and-such. HE DID." "Such-and-such was such-and-such. IT WAS." "Object A can be seen as Object B. IT CAN." After 4 or 5 of these, they begin to chafe. Many more and they become a flaw. The premise? It's a subtle interweaving of several threads, none of which really seems to take precedence until the end. Yes, our heroine falls in love, despite her misgivings; so it can be seen as a love story. But the other issues that are a little too thoroughly explored here are just as thought-provoking, if not more so. I think that anyone who hasn't read any of this author's works and isn't used to his style would probably be disappointed in this one. I have to admit, it's wearing a little thin on me, too.

“Death of Yesterday,” by M. C. Beaton

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 7
2. Prose 7
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

As much as I enjoyed this book, it’s hard for me to pinpoint any outstanding qualities. It’s a “Hamish Macbeth Mystery,” apparently very popular in the U. K., Scotland in particular, and written by a mystery writer of wide acclaim, though this is the first one I have read. The series has even been made into a television series, though I don’t know if it gets much play outside the U. K. The prose style reminds me of Alexander McCall Smith, another very popular Scottish writer with huge sales in the U. S. But the story is considerably darker than Smith’s stories – Smith being notably “anti-Noir” – and almost as dark as Ian Rankin’s wonderful Edinburgh novels. The descriptions of Scottish society, the Scottish Highlands countryside/weather, and Scottish personalities and colloquialisms are a real treat. Hamish Macbeth himself is fun to watch in action, though not as fleshed out a character as most “heroes” are – almost like a lead character in a sit-com, though the humor here is often low-key. I have immediately continued with “Death of a Witch” by the same author, something I don’t often do; but this series, light as it is, I find compelling.



Here’s the February line-up!


"The Right Attitude to Rain," by Alexander McCall Smith [2-3-18]
"The Ape Who Guards the Balance," by Elizabeth Peters [2-10-18]
"The Three Musketeers," by Alexandre Dumas [2-17-18]
"The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum," by Kirsten Weiss [2-24-18]

“Imajica,” by Clive Barker

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 8
3. Plot 5
4. Characters 9
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

A massively overdeveloped plot – that’s why it had to be 824 pages of small print; the equivalent of about 1500 pages in a normal-size type. It’s not that it contains plot points that don’t add anything, or that it has too much back story (almost none!) or too much side story (very little). It just feels like, once the plot line was fully realized, it was stretched out to triple its length, albeit with meaningful additions that makes sense. It’s hard to argue against that … unless the flow of the story gets bogged down to tediousness. Almost everything else about this book is superb. The prose is mostly quite good, but there were far too many examples of ending sentences with prepositions. I think I normally don’t notice how often this happens in the writings of other authors, but for some reason what really stuck out in this story was the frequency it occurred with. I mean the frequency with which it occurred. Barker writes with real literary flair, seemingly careful not to get too flowery. Perhaps he simply doesn’t like how “stuffy” it sounds to use the “with which” phrase most commonly used to avoid that particular error. The main characters deserve a “10” but many of the secondary characters were rather underdeveloped. The contrasts between our reality and the other realities (dominions) described in the story were excellent; second to none. This novel deserves its stellar reputation among “horror/fantasy” enthusiasts. I just wish it hadn’t been marred by its tediousness.



Here’s the February line-up!

"The Right Attitude to Rain," by Alexander McCall Smith [2-3-18]
"The Ape Who Guards the Balance," by Elizabeth Peters [2-10-18]
"The Three Musketeers," by Alexandre Dumas [2-17-18]
"The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum," by Kirsten Weiss [2-24-18]

“Tripwire,” by Lee Child

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 8
2. Prose 8
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

Another marvelous Jack Reacher novel. This is only the third one I’ve read, but it didn’t seem quite as strong as the others. The prose is often oddly terse, but that’s a stylistic aspect that enhances the flow of the story. At 559 pages, this one is almost too long, the plot points seemingly further apart than usual, despite the “page-turner” quality of the writing. Reacher’s character comes across as not quite so sterling in this novel, killing the bad guys at will without waiting for them to make the first move. The basic premise is hero-against-villain, with the villain – almost a “super-villain” being the classic facially scarred psycho complete with a hook in place of one of his hands. Hokey on its face, I know, but good writing makes it work. Reacher doesn’t “ride off into the sunset” on this one, apparently having finally met his dream girl. I probably won’t try to read them all, but many more Reacher novels will definitely find a place on my bookshelf in the future.

“Dead Ever After,” by Charlaine Harris

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 10
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 9
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

I have a low tolerance for writing that drags, that get bogged down in details or side issues to the point where I want to take a break. That’s the main reason I love Charlaine Harris’s books so much; it’s always interesting enough to keep you turning pages. A book is either a “page-turner” or it isn’t. And there are plenty of authors out there that have that touch, but none better than Harris. This book is the 13^th in a 13-book series and as such, it wraps things up rather well. By itself, the plot is kind of patchy, only making complete sense in the context of the rest of the books in the series. The constantly high level of tension and exposure to danger in Sookie Stackhouse’s life finally seems to be resolved by the end of this book. Yes, for the romance-oriented readership, Sookie finally seems to have found her “true love.” That’s nice. But for the rest of us, she’s no longer in the thick of things regarding the “sup [supernatural] community” especially the vampires and fairies. All the baddies have been “taken care of” and life can return to a more manageable small town Louisiana pace. A good time for the reader to depart. There are still about a dozen or so Charlaine Harris books I have yet to read, fortunately, and she’s still cranking them out. But this series is fittingly put to rest, as wonderful as it is.