Looking for Your Next Book

David Starr, Space Ranger is the first of Isaac Asimov’s Lucky Starr books, originally written for younger readers. David Starr is a young member of the Council of Science, an organization that essentially combines science, government, and law enforcement. When people on Earth begin dying from poisoned food imported from Mars, Starr is sent undercover to investigate what is happening and who might be behind it. Once on Mars, he meets John “Bigman” Jones, a small but very energetic Martian who becomes his friend and companion. I first read this book when I was a young teenager, and I remember enjoying it then. I'm not sure I was aware that it was written by Asimov at the time as it was first published under the name Paul French. Coming back and reading the book again now, I wasn’t sure whether the story would hold up or whether I would simply be remembering how much I enjoyed it at the time. Fortunately, I enjoyed it again. This is definitely an old-fashioned science fiction advent...

Earlier this week, on my blog, I gave a two star rating to a book and complained that it had too much gratuitous sex at the expense of the story. I thought it might be appropriate to follow that up with another book that had more than a decent amount of sex but managed to have a complex (romance) story, showing that it is possible to combine story and explicit sex in a book. I don't typically read romance books but mostly because there are other books I'd rather read first.  In my admittedly rather complicated method of 'what to read next' system, this is what popped up. And, wow ... I really liked this. "Cat" is a confident young woman who loves to skateboard. She's tough and adventurous and she's not looking for anyone or anything to interrupt her life.  She's a graffiti artist when she's not at work as a graphic designer. Her best friend and house-mate is a gay male, Jay, and the two get along fabulously.  She surprises herself then when a m...

Due in large part to my Scandinavian heritage and growing up in Minnesota, I have been fascinated with the story of the Vikings in North America. Most people are familiar with Leif Erikson's voyage to Vinland, but how much farther did Norse influence reach? In American Vikings , Martyn Whittock explores not only what we know about Viking exploration of North America, but also the many theories, legends, and controversies that have grown up around the subject. Whittock begins with the historical evidence surrounding the Norse settlements in Greenland and the archaeological discoveries at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, reminding the us that Viking exploration of the New World is no longer a matter of speculation but an accepted part of history. But even with this knowledge, there is still much debate as to the extent of the Vikings' reach. The book examines runestones, disputed artifacts, medieval sagas, Native American encounters, and the sometimes outlandish claims tha...

This was a new experience in reading for me for a couple of reasons. But first, the story: Blair Huntingdon and Proctor Gamble are detectives with the Rainbow Detective Agency. They argue a lot and they can't seem to agree on most things, but they also can't keep their hands off each other. Yes, they are the rainbow Detective Agency because they are gay partners as well as business partners. Their newest client is Alonzo Albertini - a gorgeous hunk of man. Well, maybe he's a man and maybe not. He claims to be an Italian fairy with magical powers. Not surprisingly, Blair and Proctor can't agree - Proctor thinks the man is a nut but Blair believes him. Their differences could mean disaster as their investigation will take them to interacting with a dark order of magicians, have them in touch with a chalice stolen from the Vatican, and a whole web of magical intrigue and magic. Part of what makes this book a new experience for me is because of the blend of story and sex. I...

John Scalzi has developed a knack for taking an utterly absurd premise, treating it with complete sincerity, and somehow creating a story that is both laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly heartfelt. Monsters of Ohio continues that tradition. Richland, Ohio, is a small farming community that has seen better days. The town's largest employer is preparing to shut down, private equity has its sights set on what remains, and longtime residents are wondering what comes next. Mike Boyd returns home expecting only to help his family through difficult times, but instead finds himself caught in events that become stranger by the day. It starts with odd happenings involving local livestock before escalating into something that no one—not the townspeople, the authorities, or the readers—could have anticipated. Scalzi embraces the weirdness with enthusiasm, but beneath the bizarre surface lies a story about community, belonging, and deciding what kind of people we choose to be. One of Scalzi...

Cork O'Connor is trying to enjoy his retirement and hopefully teach his grandchildren the joys of spending time in God's Country - the Boundary Waters. But just before a planned trip, two different family members have had a troubling vision involving, they strongly believe, Cork. Adding to the concern is that Cork has been having problems with his heart.  While he's encouraged to stay home for this trip, Cork is determined to get into the Boundary Waters. Not surprisingly, Cork first sees evidence of someone who's not familiar with the etiquette for being the area. And when he discovers a body, he knows it's time to send the youngsters back and asks them to contact the local law enforcement. Meanwhile Cork is going to investigate on his own. What Cork encounters is a pair of brothers seeking a treasure hidden by their father decades prior. The dead man that Cork came across was a third brother who was slowing them down. To say these men are dangerous is downplaying ...