June 2008 Archives

The latest Scarpetta novel, and written in a much briefer sentence style which took me a bit of getting used to. The other odd feature which takes some getting used to is Marino's character change - whilst I don't think it's a sudden shift (but I'd need to have read Blow Fly/Trace/Predator more recently to be sure of the gradual build), but this is the first book where he is clearly so unpleasant and bent on destroying his relationship with Kay (and Benton and Lucy).

As one Amazon reviewer put it "Everything is so dark and bleak" - and that applies to the main characters just as much as the criminal storyline, so much so that having only finished the book a few days ago I can't even remember the plot - just the sadness I felt for the characters I've followed for years.

amazon.co.uk link: Book of the Dead - Patricia Cornwell

amazon.co.uk list: Kay Scarpetta Collection (in order)

Subtitled Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Seringapatam 1799 the novel deals with the battles between the British Army and the troops of the Tippoo of Mysore, culminating in the siege of the Tippoo's city fortress at Seringapatam.

From Sharpe's perspective, it is the first instalment and deals with the early years of his career; we learn how he first makes the move from the ranks to sergeant and how he meets Colonel McCandless, the history behind his 200 lashes and the origins of mutual loathing between Sharpe and Obidiah Hakeswill.

As ever, a rollicking great read!

Now I need to lay my hand on the next in the (chronological) series: Sharpe's Triumph

Sharpe's Tiger - Bernard Cornwell

Sharpe Novels: an Amazon Listmania list, giving the Sharpe series in order of event rather than publication.

A two stage read, but one I'm glad I persevered with - especially once Peter Fleming and Eva Maillart's journey reached the far west of China, and headed over into the Hunza valley and into what is now Pakistan, what was then British India.

It's a fascinating account of China and the North West Frontier in the mid 1930s, complete with what now read as antiquated spellings and opinions/perspectives. The book tell of the seven months Fleming and Kini spent on the 3500 mile journey from Peking to Kashmir, travelling by camel, donkey, horse and foot during a wartorn time for the far flung provinces of the Chinese world - and with the final rumblings of the Great Game still sounding loudly in this remote part of the world where Russian, British and Chinese empires met. As the intrepid explorers travel further west, they travel through a desert region populated mainly by nomads and warlords who view themselves as having more in common with their fellow Tatar tribes of Central Asia than the Chinese holding power in Peking.

Next: tracking down Forbidden Journey for Ella Maillart's version! Maybe a read for this autumn's Central Asia Overland trip.....

Amazon.co.uk link: News from Tartary - Peter Fleming