Category: Book Review

Book Review: A Fall in Autumn

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A Fall in Autumn by Michael G. Williams

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**WINNER OF THE 2020 MANLY WADE WELLMAN AWARD**

WELCOME TO THE LAST OF THE GREAT FLYING CITIES

It’s 9172, YE (Year of the Empire), and the future has forgotten its past.

Soaring miles over the Earth, Autumn, the sole surviving flying city, is filled to the brim with the manifold forms of humankind: from Human Plus “floor models” to the oppressed and disfranchised underclasses doing their dirty work and every imaginable variation between.

Valerius Bakhoum is a washed-up private eye and street hustler scraping by in Autumn. Late on his rent, fetishized and reviled for his imperfect genetics, stuck in the quicksand of his own heritage, Valerius is trying desperately to wrap up his too-short life when a mythical relic of humanity’s fog-shrouded past walks in and hires him to do one last job. What starts out as Valerius just taking a stranger’s money quickly turns into the biggest and most dangerous mystery he’s ever tried to crack – and Valerius is running out of time to solve it.

Now Autumn’s abandoned history – and the monsters and heroes that adorn it – are emerging from the shadows to threaten the few remaining things Valerius holds dear. Can the burned-out detective navigate the labyrinth of lies and maze of blind faith around him to save the City of Autumn from its greatest myth and deadliest threat?

 

MY REVIEW

Full disclosure: I edited this book.

In a future of flying cities, created beings, and limitless potential, Valerius only gets to enjoy one of the three. He is what 2019 would call “heritage stock”; seeds and animals saved from previous times without genetic modifications of any sort, as a bank against potential disaster. So fixing little things like a cut with the wave of a medical wand is unavailable to him as it could damage the historic conservation; people worship his genes for their unmodified purity, and cross to the other side of the road to avoid his person.

Without the boost to brain power enjoyed by so many, jobs are few and far between. Valerius worked his way through everything the street has to offer, finally reaching the pinnacle of his potential careers as a gumshoe. Private eye is a little too upstanding for what he does – Valerius puts foot to pavement investigating the worst for the worst, and hopes to get paid when he shows his employers the results.

This is the best life he could ever grasp for in the flying city of Autumn. Or anywhere on or off Earth.

Then a being walks through his door offering the chance of a lifetime. Unfortunately Valerius is at the end of his.

Initially he was just going to take the money and wait it out, but curiosity gets the better of him. Because there are two things that always made him feel alive, and they are solving a mystery and risking death.

REREAD 2020 August
I reread this book after 18 months. Still is awesome.

What this means is AFTER developmentally editing it, and reading it three times in the process, I read it again after publication. I don’t normally create, let alone publish, book reviews of books I edited, but, dang, I fan-girl over this one.

Book Review (SERIES): Villains of Vanguard

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The Villains of Vanguard Boxed Set by Ryder O’Malley
Indecent Storm (Prequel) – at this time (early 2025), only available as part of the boxed set
Corrupted Desire (Book 1)
Reckless Impulse (Book 2)
Sinister Passion (Book 3)

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for VILLAINS OF VANGUARD

This Dark M/M Romance Contains 800+ pages of Burly Bad Guys

This time, villains will save the day. Released from prison, this trio of huskular bad guys are ready to get their hands bloody. Whether it means partnering with a beefy cop, going undercover at a couples’ retreat for villains, or falling for Vanguard’s first hero, they’ll do whatever it takes to protect their freedom.

This boxed set follows a group of villains who should have never been released from jail. Worse yet, they never expected to fall in love while protecting the city. Discover the crooks with Diesel, the fire-wielding killer who wants to be left alone flipping burgers; Clint, the impulsive shapeshifter blowing up ice cream trucks; and Vex, a billionaire obsessed with killing the man who put him behind bars.

The Villains of Vanguard Boxed Set is a M/M, dark, snarky romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features brooding heroes and sex, but not always in that order.

MY REVIEW for VILLAINS OF VANGUARD

The box set is made of three anchor books: Corrupted Desire, Reckless Impulse, and Sinister Passion, all of which have been previously released. But the PREQUEL: Indecent Storm included (the first 10% of this over 800 page opus) has never been released separate was an unadvertised bonus.

As for what is inside this boxed set: “Dark Steamy MM Supervillain Romance” is a very good tagline. The superpowers are versatile, both for powered fights … and other powered activities.

I have finished all four books of the MM superpowered romance and you can find the separate reviews elsewhere. As for the books as a unit: Wow, that was much, much better than expected.

First off, none of the books are the same. All the villain protagonists are unique individuals with unique powers from each other. Different motivations, different people they fall in love with (though all Male Bears), different ways they fall in love, and different ways they interact with the overarching plot for the series. The books work as romances and as superhero prose. Four threads for the overall narrative blend into a weave of romance, superpowers plot, emotional change, and the larger picture of the multi-story plotline.

What really impressed me was how each of the villain protagonists were different architype villains. Lance is an antihero; a person who tries to do good but slides into vigilantism when his self-control slips. He is an educated man who made one mistake, then another, then another, until he passes the crossroads of no return. Diesel is a thug; he grew up on the wrong side of town, the one where ACAB and you have to punch first, otherwise you will never get to throw a punch. His culture made a system, and he has to figure out how to grow beyond being the cog his upbringing crafted him to be. Clint is the crazy villain; the one whose brain is missing things. He is a mad dog. Damien is the narcissist, but is rich enough and successful enough in the game of life everything really can be about him. He is a CEO.

The big bad villain comes from the government end of things – the power of a CEO, the madness of too much power, the educated person who slides into evil, and a person who has watched the system fail. Only with the power of the government behind them.

It’s a beautiful exploration of villain archetypes. As the body counts rise, so do the stakes.

Picked up while on sale at a superhero site. Buying at the normal price of about $10 saves – basically it is buy two and get one free (plus the sequel).

 

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for INDECENT STORM

Every hero has demons. Problem is, mine are real.

I don’t fly through the skies or put villains behind bars. But as a well-respected therapist for superheroes, I do my part to keep Vanguard safe. Thankfully, nobody knows is that during med school, a vengeance demon tried to steal my body and unleash a brutal justice on mankind. Don’t worry, he learned the hard way that I’m the poster child for self-control.

Then I met Santiago.

I would never have made a move, but of course, the demon in my head has a crush on the ex-con. Discovering he can control the elements only made him sexier. Worst part, I enjoy losing control and giving him the reins. I need to confront the darkness fighting to get out and come to terms with the blurry line between good and evil. At the end, will I emerge a hero, villain, or something abnormal.

I have no choice. My insurance doesn’t cover exorcisms.

MY REVIEW for INDECENT STORM

Indecent Storm in a Prequel included in the Villains of Vanguard boxed set. “Dark Steamy MM Supervillain Romance” is the perfect tagline for the set and for this story in particular. The superpowers are versatile, both for powered fights … and other powered activities.

Fighting for control all the time is tiring. But therapist Lance cannot let his guard drop against that which has invaded him. When he loses control, which he never has dared, people could die. Santiago is a not-really-reformed parolee of an elemental powered variety. Together they are steamy in a locker room shower, to the point of Lance losing control. When the fun is over, the flyer asks the …normal?… for a second date. Dare Lance say yes – how many times can he lose control before he becomes a villain? And is Santiago worth the risk?

Overall the narrative is more concentrated on MM-erotica-romance, but the story still manages some good super-power time.

The story is about 10% of the boxed set.

 

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON  for CORRUPTED DESIRE

The world is going to burn, and I’m the one holding the match.

Prison hardens a man. Even worse, my ex dumps me during the trial for a crime I didn’t commit. Okay, that’s a lie, but he deserved it. Two years into my sentence and the inmates of Cold Iron fear me. It’s lonely, but it’s the price of survival. This isn’t the place to think about friends, let alone a relationship.

When Vanguard needs a criminal with my fiery skills, my time in the slammer is cut short. To keep my freedom, I only have to put down a serial killer. It’d be easy if the local do-gooder stopped interfering. Gallant won’t be the reason I get locked up again. If he wasn’t smoking hot, I’d crush him. On second thought, maybe he needs a pounding.

The heroes are playing with fire, but I’m not the one about to get burned.

MY REVIEW for CORRUPTED DESIRE

When reading superhero (or in this case supervillain) romances, one needs to review the success of the romance and the superpowers. Plus the normal worldbuilding, characterization, and plot.

The MM romance is between two bears. Cooking and dancing and playing games. Diesel is a felon trying to make ends meet as a short order cook in a greasy spoon. Calum is a good cop who dropped by one late night for coffee to get through shift. Diesel knows better but he always liked to play with fire. The first date is at an arcade playing pinball … and pin the balls, if you know what I mean. Someone’s world Tilted at the end and the rest of the story is a sweet (and spicy) exploration of a romance that shouldn’t be. Be prepared for description of a proper bear body.

The super power part also lights up like a properly prepared bonfire. Diesel (Will-he-ever-decide-on-a-code-name Man) is a firestarter. He fights a little differently each time – explosive to pinpoint; ash or blister burns. I loved the scene of him leaving fire footprints behind to dissuade local thugs from a mugging-of-opportunity. He knows his powers and uses them well. He understanding it is not just the burning and energy, but heat, light, and fire’s impact on the things around them. This narrative has one of the most detailed and nuance use of firestarters I have ever seen.

If only he wasn’t a villain. His go-to options in battle aren’t … good. I never doubted he was an anti-hero, at best. He has lived a life that if you don’t hit first and hit hard, you don’t get to live a life.

The other major power we see in action is Gallant. And here is where things get murky. Sometimes Gallant’s powers are referred to as gravity control and sometimes metallic control. Early chapters touch lightly on gravity control and later ones present metal control. This inconsistency keeps the book from being a five star in the superpower area. Like the fire powers, the whatever-they-are powers are used well and make a good superpower book.

And in super power stories, the opposition (in this case both good and bad) to our protagonist(s) make a huge difference. The opposition make our main character burn through his power options creatively.

The teamup between Diesel (will he EVER choose a super designation) and Gallant is okay. The mixing between them is more emotional than their powers dovetailing together (dovtailing being one weakness covered by the other’s strength or a mix of their powers creating interesting effects – that really doesn’t happen here.)

Now normal review grading. Worldbuilding – this is Mr. O’Malley Vanguard (city) world and he has fleshed it out for several novels. It stands up to the test of time. Characters – Diesel came from the slums and thinks fireball first because of that; Calum brings hope to the dynamic. Other characters are well fleshed out and each person has their own goals, flaws, and reasons. Plot comes in three parts that interweave well – the romance, the workplace, and the super powers, plus an emotional journey of black vs white vs gray.

Falling just shy of what the absolute best superpower romance has to offer, this book is still really, really good – as a romance, as a superpower story, and as a narrative in general.

 

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for RECKLESS IMPLUSE

You never know the shape revenge will take. But I do.

Prison is a blast. I get three meals a day, a warm bed, and a state-of-the-art gym. The guard’s hip-hugging uniforms don’t hurt either. I say good riddance to it all when I’m offered a chance to take this show on the road. Heroes aren’t getting the job done, so they’re recruiting villains with rugged good looks. But you blow up one ice cream truck, and suddenly they assign you a handler.

If I’m going to stay a free man, I need to stop a psycho from murdering half the city. Of course, the bad guy is attending a couple’s retreat for wealthy supers. If my babysitter is policing my every move, he’ll have to go undercover as my tech mogul husband. If I can survive a week without my cell phone, an overly enthusiastic yoga instructor, and a spouse complaining about love languages, maybe I can stop a massacre.

These heroes aren’t what they seem, but then again, neither am I.

MY REVIEW for RECKLESS IMPLUSE

Challenging to read, Reckless Impulse of the Villains of Vanguard series focuses on Clint, the shapeshifter with a code-name of Variant. We previously seen him as the himbo of the therapy circle, living life without planning or brains, but Pretty (and as a shapeshifter, Clint can be REAL pretty) will get you places.

I personally don’t do dumb well and wasn’t sure I could handle a full book of himbo. But between the overall arc of the series and the promise of a mastermind in the third book, I was determined to plow through. Plus seeing what an author could do with a less than average intelligence intrigued me.

Like Corrupted Desire, the first of the series, the superpower use is top notch. Both on implementation in battle and weaknesses in personal life.

See, Clint is basically a sponge. He is full of holes so he can study and become others, absorbing them and taking on their appearance. Not a literal or figurative sponge, but his persona, his strength, is observation and imitation. He has been so busy all his life being someone or something else, he doesn’t know who he is. And that makes him interesting and sympathetic. Which is important, because Mr. O’Malley puts the V in Villains for the evil protagonists of this series.

Clint has no impulse control. Thinking beyond the moment is hard when you change your shape to fit the moment. Most people need to control this moment and prep the next to fit their shape. Meanwhile, Clint kills if it seems appropriate for that particular second , without a thought. Being attacked in a hotel room, kill. Not having chocolate soft serve on an ice cream truck, kill.

Hank, the love interest, is less engaging, which makes the romance part of this superpower romance less engaging. We do see what each of the participants get out of the relationship, but Clint and Hank are more cuddle-teddies than bear-boingings. The super power brought into the bedroom at least keeps things spicy for the MM action.

Worldbuilding, character creation, and plotline weaving in this series continue to be top tier.

The misspelling of “suit” for “suite” for a couple chapters drove me nuts – it was fine until it wasn’t and then became fine again. Combined with me just not liking Clint as a human being on any level (he is a rabid very dangerous puppy that needs to be taken behind the shed), and barely tolerating Hank, the book never reached top tier overall. Still, great powers and related character creation, solid worldbuilding, and a good combination of the plots of the book and the plot of the series.

 

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for SINISTER PASSION

Sentinel will suffer my wrath, even if I need to destroy the city.

My time in prison didn’t change my goal. Superheroes are a menace, and I’m going to expose them as the arrogant cowards they are. They’ll call me a villain, but I’m doing it to protect Vanguard. But after being defeated by the Centurions, I no longer have powers. This could be a problem, one I will fix by any means necessary.

My presence has brought one of the world’s greatest heroes out of retirement, or so I thought. If he thinks he can charm me into helping save the city, he’s got another thing coming. I’m nobody’s sidekick. When my arch nemesis goes missing, I’ll need to save him… so I can kill him myself.

Vanguard will never forget the name Damien Vex.

MY REVIEW for SINISTER PASSION

Third and final book of the Villains of Vanguard series, this can be read as a stand-alone. There is an overarching plot between the three books, but the romance, superhero action, and emotional growth arcs within each book are great on their own. The fact there is basically four plotlines in each book twisting and turning into fully realized whole cloth for a “simple” steamy MM dark superpower romance makes these gems.

Be aware the protagonists of this series are Villains (with a capital V) and Vex is no exception. He is dark to the core of his bones, so much that a shadow gem chose him to wield it. Whether in the boardroom or sitting high above the streets, this man has no patience for anything that doesn’t make the world the way he wants it to be, and he wants to be on top. Then he meets a man who had no patience for hierarchy.

The romance in this book, I feel, is the strongest of the three books. Vex and Won are mirrors and complements of each other. Top tier powers. Best at their day-jobs and spandex-jobs. Bears.

But Vex doesn’t bow to anything, not even love.

Then an enemy decides they can use Won as a piece in their chess game with Vex. Is it checkmate or will Vex change the game?

Book Review: Shield Band (Elven Alliance Book 6)

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Shield Band (Elven Allliance Book 6) by Tara Grayce

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Julien always thought he knew his duty…until an arranged marriage upends his future.

Prince Julien of Escarland was the kingdom’s spare. His duty is to quietly stand in the background at his brother’s side, protecting him and his heirs.

When it becomes clear that one more marriage is needed to secure the three-way alliance between the kingdoms of Kostaria, Tarenhiel, and Escarland, Julien agrees to an arranged marriage with a troll. He doesn’t know their language and he might not be strong enough to fit into their battle-focused culture, but other than that, how bad could it be?

As King Rharreth’s shield sister, Vriska is duty-bound to protect him and his queen. But she never expected her duty to include a marriage with a human.

An empire-hungry kingdom is lurking, seeking any weakness in the alliance. Will this final bond keep the alliance from crumbling? Can Julien and Vriska find love in a union based on duty?

Return to the snowy mountains of Kostaria in this installment of the bestselling Elven Alliance series, a no-spice, humorous fantasy romance / romantic fantasy featuring elves and arranged marriages!

MY REVIEW

I read this book based on a TikTok recommendation list about powerful love interests in a fantasy romance, where the female characters in a fantasy couple aren’t the “princess being rescued, but doing the rescuing”. And this book definitely delivers on that vibe.

Vriska is one of the personal bodyguards to a mountain king where all nobles must be warriors; she is so deep into the royal household she is considered his sister within their culture.

Prince Julien comes from a low-land human kingdom and has been the spare prince in-waiting, happy to serve in the military and then in his brother’s household – because no longer being spare would mean the loss of his closest family. When his brother-king needs a marriage alliance as part of a peace treaty, Julien heads into the mountains to court a warrior bodyguard/adopted sister of the new ally.

Warrior and Prince have to merge their countries in a strong alliance, stop incursions from a sea-power kingdom seeking to destroy the peace treaty, and discover if love can develop out of duty.

This fantasy romance is no spice, with only a few kisses, and has the POV alternating between the Warrior and the Prince. They both bring their strengths and weaknesses to the sparring ring. The plot and world are solid; characters each have their own wants and needs, but characterization isn’t as strong as the worldbuilding and plotting. I only read the sixth book of this eight-book series and it worked fine as a stand-alone.

These are just things I didn’t like as much. All of these particular items felt like personal tastes and not general downsides.
1. The cover shows Vriska as shorter than Julien, and as described in the book she either his height or slightly taller – not the typical 85% shorter than the male shown in the drawing. The picture could be interpreted that the rocky ledge area he is standing on is slightly higher than hers, which is why he appears taller, but, still, I don’t like it. (note – while uploading this review, I ran across the original cover, which, while “simpler” does have the height correct, so I like it better for that)
2. The characterization isn’t distinctly strong for me, but that could be me starting in book six of the series.
3. The author’s tagline on her website is “Humorous Fantasy with a Dash of Romance.” Snark, humor, and layers of worldbuilding … in the way I like them … aren’t in this book. Basically overall okay for characters, world-building, plot, and entertainment, but nothing exceptional. At least the way I like it. But that, I think, is more like liking mustard-based BBQ over ketchup-based BBQ – personal preference.

This book doesn’t match my personal preference. It was good, in my opinion, but not great. But I can see people adoring this book.

Book Review (SERIES): Mrs. Pollifax

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Movie Poster from the 1971 Movie: Mrs. Pollifax Spy

I was introduced to the Mrs. Pollifax series in college, read through all of them, and then went on to read through the author’s, Dorothy Gilman, entire catalog. She passed in 2012 and I had to move on to other authors.

Fast forward to 2024. I had been hired to work in a library. Who knew that working for a library would mean I would have virtually no time to read? I was constantly shelving books, working on programming, or helping patrons. Faced with the challenge to keep up on my reviews, I thought “why not try audiobooks?” Normally, my version of neuro-spicy hates background noise, but I had a long half-hour commute on a mostly empty highway each direction (more like 45 minutes in the morning). I like my music, but I was missing fictional stories.

I had been shelving audiobooks and noticed Mrs. Pollifax and thought “Perfect!” A comfort read that I could turn off easily arriving at work or arriving at home. These are the three audiobooks I read while working for a library system.

Mrs. Pollifax is a widow of a certain age that when she had nothing left to live for, contacted the CIA to become a spy. This a series of unexpected shenanigans, she received an assignment and survived the results. Her name went into Carstairs rolodex and whenever a random older lady could get through a situation that a normal spy would be pinged immediately, he would brush the dust off and call her again. Fourteen books resulted.

I read books ten, eleven, and fourteen of the series this time around. The entire list from BookSeriesInOrder.com:

  1. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (1966)
  2. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax (1970)
  3. The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax (1971) – Movie come out this year
  4. A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax (1973)
  5. Mrs. Pollifax on Safari (1976)
  6. Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station (1983)
  7. Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha (1985)
  8. Mrs. Polllifax and the Golden Triangle (1988)
  9. Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish (1990)
  10. Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief (1993)
  11. Mrs. Pollifax Pursued (1995)
  12. Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer (1996)
  13. Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist (1997) – a direct-to-DVD movie starting Angela Lansbury come out in 1999
  14. Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled (2000)

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE SECOND THIEF

The assignment is a snap: Mrs. Pollifax just has to shoot some pictures at a quiet funeral outside Washington and take them to Sicily, where her old friend Farrell — a former CIA agent turned art dealer — anxiously awaits them.

But like all Mrs. P’s assignments, so ostensibly suitable for the CIA’s favorite garden club member, this one quickly turns lethal. Her welcoming committee in Palermo includes a most unlikely CIA agent and several unseen enemies. Unfriendly eyes also observe Mrs. P’s rendezvous with Farrell in a secluded mountain village and weapons are soon displayed. With mysterious forces hot after them, she and Farrell scurry for safety to a fortified country villa, where the bizarre chatelaine, once a star on Madison Avenue, is almost as unnerving as the dangers she’s protecting them from.

So, though the sun shines brightly, the food is delicious, and romance is in the air, Mrs. Pollifax is too busy handing out karate chops and playing catch-me-if-you-can with an assassin to enjoy the amenities . . . .

MY REVIEW for MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE SECOND THIEF

Read through a local library audiobook. The audio was crafted by Brilliance Audio with a multi-member cast.

I forgotten just how good this particular Mrs. Pollifax is.

I love John Farrell and his admiration of his “Duchess”. The love story. The eccentric aunt of Kate. The village. The return of Aristotle. The political intrigue. The Second Thief is picture perfect Mrs. Pollifax.

 

 

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for MRS. POLLIFAX PURSUED

The last thing Mrs. Pollifax expects to find in her junk closet is a young woman hiding. Kadi Hopkirk insists that she’s being followed by two men in a dirty white van. Under the cover of darkness, Mrs. P. tries to drive Kadi back home to Manhattan, only to have a dark green sedan give them a run for their money and, Mrs. P. begins to suspect, their lives.

Finally Kadi shares the startling truth: her friend, Sammy, is the son of the assassinated president of an African country and, unbeknownst to the young man’s bodyguard, he passed her something under the table during a recent meeting. Ever resourceful, Mrs. P. puts in a call for help to her CIA colleague, Carstairs, who installs them in a safe house—at a carnival! Before Mrs. P. knows it, a dash to safety expands into an assignment that leads to hair-trigger violence in exotic places. . . .

MY REVIEW for MRS. POLLIFAX PURSUED

I’m exploring whether I can listen to audiobooks while driving and I thought I would dive into a comfort favorite. I haven’t read Mrs. Pollifax since the Nineties – this book was originally published in 1995 and is part of a series started in 1966 and ran until 2000. I listened to the Brilliance Audio version, recorded in 1995. Words and situations like “VCR” and “gypsy” and the “quaintness of Africa” all date the book, but the listen was still very enjoyable. I managed to listen to the book going to and from work for three of the four discs but couldn’t wait for morning to finish and listened to the last disc while sewing at home.

Mrs. Pollifax finds a young woman hiding in her closet. This escalates and intertwines with a kidnapping Carstairs is helping the FBI with. Humor and adventure, mystery and murder, carny and spy action ensues. I love Mrs. P as an older protagonist.

While the book has aged, and may not be accessible to younger readers, I still enjoyed the revisit.

Checked out through the local library.

 

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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for MRS. POLLIFAX UNVEILED

After facing down hijackers on a flight to the Middle East and saving the lives of the passengers on board, a young American woman steps off the plane in Damascus in a blaze of celebrity and disappears. The CIA believes Amanda Pym was kidnapped, possibly murdered.

Masquerading as Amanda Pym’s worried aunt, Mrs. Pollifax begins her determined search, slipping through Damascus’s crooked streets and crowded souks . . . and trekking deep into the desert. Yet she is shadowed by deadly enemies, whose sinister agenda threatens not only Mrs. P. but the fragile stability of the entire Middle East. Only a miracle–or a brilliant counterplot– can forestall a disaster that will send shock waves around the world.

MY REVIEW for MRS. POLLIFAX UNVEILED

Re-read through audio performance by Brilliance Audio.
Unlike the two previous Mrs. Pollifax I listened to by Brilliance Audio which had a cast, this version only had a single performer. It still was a lovely read listening to a woman’s voice.

The last of the Pollifax series (due to Ms. Gilman’s (the author) failing health) our intrepid spy lands in Syria to find a lost American woman, who may not want to be found. With Farrell at her side, they arrive as innocent tourists looking for their “family” member. The police state tears Farrell away from Emily, with her being injured in the process, and now Mrs. Pollifax, or Duchess as the painfully missing Farrell calls her, must meet their objective alone in a country where she doesn’t speak the language and the people are ruled by fear.

But being Mrs. Pollifax, she endures and makes friends. Still finding one person in a country alone is like finding a needle in a haystack.

The story, now twenty-four years old (published in 2000) is becoming dated. Amanda Prym is always referred to as a “girl” though she is a full-grown adult – college age, so forgivable by our team of world-wearied adults. Other technology issues have gotten better, the mix of politics in the mid-east have gotten worse, stuff like that. Still a wonderful yarn.

I hope Mrs. Pollifax and her Cyrus live on forever happy having their adventures.

Book Review: Starter Villain

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Starter Villain by John Scalzi

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Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.

Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn’t all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they’re coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It’s up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world…be a cat.

 

MY REVIEW

A Whole Treat

Scalzi knows how to create imaginary worlds where an every-man protagonist moves through the “crazy” with grace and common sense to the amusement of his readers. Starter Villain is a perfect example of his mastery of the humor science fiction genre. I wish his worlds featured women with more agency, but I understand the author is basically doing a self-insert into the fantasy world so the main character will be male for him based on his usual style of writing.

Starter Villian is a fun, light-hearted romp with all the cool gadgets and villains of James Bond. Plus a layered plot, complicated characters, and dense world-building which is only noticeable after the fact when you go “I need to make this review longer, was the book actually good, not just enjoyable?” So yeah, the icing is pretty and the cake is fantastic.