Windsor Books

Okay, so now that this reviewer has recently warmed you up with review of James M. Cain's lesser works, including the minor classic Double Indemnity it is time to bring up the big guns- The Postman Always Rings Twice (hereafter, Postman). I have reviewed elsewhere in this space both the movie versions of this novel- the original one with John Garfield and Lana Turner in black and white in the 1940's and the color version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange in the 1980's. Both have there merits although the Nicholson/Lange version produced at a time when there was a more permissive atmosphere in portraying raw, primordial sexual passions is closer to the sense of Cain's novel.

Both films also take some license with the story line from the novel. That line, in summary, went something like this- Girl is unhappily married to older uncouth owner of a highway diner and gas station in sunny California of the 1930's. Boy an outlaw tramp, who also happens to be handy, very handy, with a wrench, comes down the road and hubby puts his to work in the station. Boy meets girl. Bang. Hubby is doomed but the newly formed couple, after a false start in clearing up that little matter, seemingly is ready to start a new life together once the murder rap is cleared up. Or are they?

After a fair exposition of Cain's works in this space, including a few short stories not reviewed, it is apparent that he was onto something about the way that novelist could look at crime and the vagaries of human passions. Most of his works, including Postman, center on the reactions of his characters to the way that their lusts (and it is mainly the distortions caused by their lusts that Cain wants to look at) lead them inevitably to crime, mainly the most heinous one murder. Moreover, as demonstrated here, no crime no matter how perfectly committed or maneuvered around, will go unpunished either as a result of the psychological reaction and revulsion against their crimes, no matter how deeply submerged, of the characters, as here, with Frank and Cora or by some quirk of fate. No police or gumshoes need apply to solve these crimes.

I have sometimes mentioned in reviewing Cain's work that the women tend to be femme fatales and that is true to the extent that these women have strong sexual identities, use that fact, and are, usually, to the extent they are fully developed by Cain stronger than the men. But then we are back to the old Adam and Eve story, aren't we? After all Eve was the one who took the chance. I would argue, as an aside here to the theme presented in Postman, that as conventional as Cora is in many ways, trying to make a go of the diner and trying to create a stable environment after the close call on the murder rap, that there is also some primitive Christian notion at work here. Something about the fates being played out a certain way and the gods best stay on the sidelines while they get worked out. But, hey, why don't you read this little gem and try to figure it out for yourselves.

I easily read this book in a few hours, it was short and it keeps your attention. It's definitely entertaining, but I can't say that I truly loved it. The characters are such bad people that it's hard to sympathize with them in any regard. For a love story, it wasn't that romantic or inspiring, and I will probably never read another book by the same author, because I was really just not blown away by it.

Great story and Stanley Tucci does a great job with the narrative. Far better than the Nicholson-Lange movie version.

The Postman Always rings Twice is an Americal classic--a great book by any standard. Cain's plot for the book is simple enough: an immoral hustler who lives by his wits gets in cahoots with an equally desperate and amibtious woman who is seeking to escape her loveless marriage.

Cain's book is remarkable for its suspensful account of a well laid out murder plan that succeeds but doesn't bring the two perpetrators much happiness. The book stands out for its blunt and realistic portrayal of vicious criminal behavior.

It's helpful to know that Cain was a screenwriter in Hollywood before he wrote the book. That I think is the reason for his sharp dialogues, some of which will stick with you forever! Cain's great dialgoue writing skills are a key factor in keepign the action tight throughout the many twists and turns of the book.
I haven't seen either of the movies based on this book, for one reason or another. Surprisingly, I've read this book atleast a half adozen times and the book has left an indelible impression on me. I can literally see the entire movie in my head everythime I think about it!

This book essentially is Kerouac meets the three horsemen of mystery: Marlowe, Hammett and Spillane. Written with curt statements, little detail, and almost exclusively dialogue (could be a movie script), this book quickly outlines a thorough story in about 100 pages.

The protagonist, Frank Chambers, is basically another impulse driven, good-for-nothing, tiger on the road. He is the bad boy which good girls fall for. And the girl in this book is Iowa blond beauty queen, Cora Papadakis - whose surname comes from older husband Nick Papadakis. Frank's character reminds me immensely of Kerouac's "On the Road" hero - Dean Moriarity.

Cora hates herself and her life. After Nick employs Frank, she falls for the help. The femme fatale employs Frank to free her from her misery - which means murdering Nick. After botching the job the first time, and failing to run away while Nick sits in a hospital bed, Frank meets up with Cora for a second chance (hence the title).

The second attempt leads you through another botched caper which only leads to an ingenious and fruitful legal maneuver which climaxes with the insurance agent perjuriously testifying in order to save the company money. Money acquits evil.

But, if you sleep with dogs, you wake up with fleas. A few escapades later, Frank and Cora mutually mistrust one another to the point where each believes the other will do to them what they did to poor Nick.

The ending is classic irony. And, that is what makes the book so ingratiatingly wonderful for film makers and readers. Love is conquered by the unknown. Isn't it usually "Love conquers all?" Then the unknown conquers all, or does it?

If you are looking for flowery prose, detailed description, or poignant passages of reflection - forget about it. This is Hemingwayesque, it is Marlowe-like or Hammett-influenced. This is about dialogue, slang, or street talk. This is classic fodder for film noire. This is a classic mystery novel.

The Princess Trilogy was a great read inspite of the atrocities that were mentioned. I also enjoyed the history of Saudi Arabia and the royal family's origin.

The bravery of this woman is brilliant. I have read only two of the three books. She has overcome remarkable odds to open the eyes of all women to what goes on in Saudi Arabia with women. Jean P. Sasson has proven beyond all doubt that the pen is mightier than the sword. What these two women have done is remarkable. I was wondering, does Princess Sultana's Circle come on audio cassette or cd perhaps?? I wanted to get copies of these books on audio cassettes or cds for friends. BRAVO!!!!!

Yocheved Cook

Excellent read . Makes me glad I am an Autralian able to live a free life. Could not put it down.

This story is written simply but soon captivates the reader by taking them into the mysterious palace, heart and world of an Arabian princess. I was pleased to discover a well told story that gave me a light but unprotected look at Sultana's world and the culture of her nation. American women are generally aware that Middle Eastern women live under great restriction. What we don't see is how they live with it, feel about it, rationalize it or deal with it when it becomes too much. This book gave me a sense of understanding from a point of view other than my own very American one. I found myself understanding the weights that tug at the hearts and manners of these women. For American women, to defy is ordinary and not typically met with resistance. This story follows the fuel that ignited the courage to stand up to long standing injustice... no matter the cost. Admittedly, it was an easy read but it did it did offer some cultural education.

I highly recommend reading the Princess Trilogy. I had a hard time putting the book down. It's a really easy read.

I thought this was a great book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining book

As all the Lucky's novels this one is excellent. You won't be able to put down the book until you finish it, JC has the ability to write five different stories in the book, merge all of them at the end of the book and keep you interested in all the stories and willing to read for more.

From reading some of the reviews the customers have said i was a little sceptical about reading this book, but once i started it i couldnt put it down. i brought it everywhere even to work (something my boss was not thrilled with). i would deffinatly read this book again. personally i think it was the best book out of the whole lucky series. i hope you enjoy reading it like i did!!

Before Dangerous Kiss, every Lucky novel was an improvement from the last. That's why I was hoping for this to be the best Lucky novel, and Lucky could end at her best. Unfortunately, this one almost makes Chances look better!

This is "A Lucky Santangelo Novel", yet Lucky only plays a secondary part. Lucky's persona we all knew and loved in her prior adventures is much more passive, which is a major letdown. Another thing that I must say is that most of the characters crossing over from other Lucky novels serve no point in the novel, and you almost want to yell at the book, wondering why they are wasting pages.

Lucky has been a lot of fun, but I think it is time to leave her be, and move on to bigger and better things.

Dangerous Kiss is so different from the other Lucky Santangelo novels because it does not feature the Bonnatti family. I really loved that it introduced new characters to the world of Lucky Santangelo and Lennie Golden.

This book is definitely worth five stars because you won't want to put the book down. It will keep you wondering about the fates of Lucky and everyone that she loves!

This is one of the best adventures in Arthurian myth, the Arthur books by this author. I was able to rent it at a local library. Involves more political intrigue than children's fantasy. Most Arthur film adaptions have gotten an R rating.

Again, as in The Winter King, book 1 in this trilogy of Arthur, Cornwell presents part 2 of the history of Arthur from a very different point of view and with a very different spin on the tale. This is not the magical tale of a sword in a stone or of a round table and a grail quest. What this is, is a tale told by Lord Derfel Cadarn, Derfel 'the mighty'. He is, as he tells this tale, an old monk in the service of the king and queen of the Britons. But he was a warlord and lifelong friend and warrior of Arthur's. Indeed, he spent most of his life with Arthur.

The tale, despite the fact that it is a tale of Arthur, is more a tale of Derfel and his interactions, opinions and views of Arthur; not to mention a tale of all that Derfel did, his family and his life. It is a tale of broken love, war, treachery and death. It is a tale of the Britons in the 5th century. But it is more about Derfel than it is about Arthur. This does not detract from the story. This is a wonderful tale about a warlord of Briton and Derfel (pronounced 'Dervel', a Welsh name given when Derfel was an orphan raised by Merlin). We hear Arthur's tale of war and of love, of Guinevere and Lancelot, Galahad and all the other names we know from the great mythological tale of Arthur; just not in the way we all know the tale.

But this tale is of real men in a real world with real problems and little, if any, magic. The tale continues Arthur's tale of rise to rule the Britons and his quest to unite the Britons under one king and defend his country from the invading Saxons. It is a tale of broken oaths, untrustworthy alliances and selfish ambitions.

I highly recommend this book to those that seek a story of dark age England. If you seek the mythical sword in the stone type tale, you will, most likely, be disappointed by this, but you may enjoy the refreshing new spin on the tale, without the excesses of magic.

If I have one complaint about this tale, it is that the book does not contain a map, as Book 1 did. I continually had to refer back to the map in book 1 as I read this story. This does contain the very helpful list of names and places at the front of the book, as did book 1. But, a map would have been helpful as the story encompasses travels and wars throughout the British isle.

This is a wonderful tale of medieval England and should be greatly enjoyed by any lover of history or historical fiction.
Enjoy!!!

Enemy of God, #2 in The Arthur Books, was my favorite of the three. Reading these books was a great experience because knowing that I had the opportunity to continue the story and it not ending was so much fun...until I finished #3.

This book is an excellent read and follow-up to the first one. A lot happens within these two covers and by the time you turn that last page you'll wish you had already purchased the third book to the series. Cornwell delivers excellent reading with great historical accuracies in terms of people and places, horrific battle scenes drawn out with extraordinary detail. If you like Cornwell, this will make you love him.

Second in the Warlord Chronicles, his Arthurian trilogy, told from the viewpoint of Derfel Cadarn, a Saxon slave boy who has now become one of Arthur's greatest warriors. A heady blend of historical fiction and fantasy with the retelling of the Arthurian legend in a very plausible way, without a whole lot of romantic nonsense--there are love stories within the story, but it's primarily a tale of war, greed, and hunger for power, which makes it (in my opinion) a much more likely scenario than the fairy tale type Arthur stories.

I particularly enjoyed Cornwell's treatment of Arthur's "Round Table." LOL It's impossible to begin to talk about this book very much without giving away too much. I can only advise anyone who enjoys Arthurian legends to check this series out--it truly is excellent and has a place firmly on my Keeper shelf.

Snow Wolf

My favorite James Bond novel is Casino Royale, which shares only a title with the very silly film by the same name. The character's in Glenn Meade's Snow Wolf are not the exaggerated heroes and villains we all adore in Fleming's thrillers but the novel is a true thriller just the same. What I enjoy most about both is the way the authors capture the chilly air of the early days of the Cold War at its chilliest - and Snow Wolf is not lacking in heroes or villains. This is a book that deserves to be back in print.

This is my first spy novel, and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. I don't lose tracks of the characters, and the story flowed smoothly.

There were previous reviews about Meade's mistakes regarding certain languages and topography. This I was not aware, but if this the case. Shame on him. I had two serious issues with the book. First, I had a problems visually with half of the action scenes. Second, why did Anna do through these bouts of weakness when she believed in once instance in the story, that Alex was being too brutal. I don't understand drastic times call for drastic measures.

When I read the summary of this book, I ordered it, without wasting a second. This book didn't disappoint me in the least. This is my first foray into the Russian thriller genre, and I can't wait to read another.

Anna Khorev, Alex Slanski, Jakob Massey, Yuri Lukin. 4 different people trying to accomplish 3 different objectives. These 4 different people about whom the readers will learn a lot.

A plot to assasinate Joseph Stalin. Knowledge of this plot by Soviet leadership. The reader gets to see both sides.

The setting, plot, character development and skillful artistry with which Glenn Meade writes are a recipe for instant success. This book is gripping, intense and absolutely readable. In all honesty, this book now tops my list of favorites.

I hope you enjoy this book just as much as I did.

Snow Wolf is an amazing novel that pictures actual people along with fictional characters. The plot to the story is based on one of the theories of how Josef Stalin really died. It is said that he died of natural causes, but Glenn Meade portrays the theory that Stalin was assassinated by none other than the CIA. Before Eisenhower was sworn into office, he was shown a folder that contained disturbing information about Stalin. The folder said that Stalin was in an unhealthy mental state and was in the concluding state of building a hydrogen bomb that was believed to target the US. The about-to-be President decided to take action on what he read and ordered Operation Snow Wolf to take place, an assassination plot that was to be organized by CIA agent Jake Massey. Massey chose Alex Slanksi and Anna Khorev to follow through with the mission, though Slanski was the only one out of the two to know what they were sent to do; Anna didn't know about the assassination attempt for Stalin. After the mission was in the end of the training phase, the President was informed that the KGB found out about the threat to Stalin's life and set up a hunt for the two operatives. The head of the KGB, a cold and wicked Beria, sent Major Yuri Lukin to assassinate Slanski and Anna. The operatives go through unnerving obstacles and keep your nose in the book to see how they will outwit the Russians. You are brought into the past as you witness witty escapes and true espionage. You also realize the true connection between Slanki and Lukin as their attempts to end each other's lives comes to a climax. Snow Wolf has a very twisty plot that leaves you wondering and wanting to know what happens next. Me being almost 15, it usually takes me a while to get hooked on a book, but this novel had me hooked after the first part (I must admit, the intro is a little boring, as is the last part). IF you decide to read this book, make sure you aren't doing anything later that day, for the time goes my fast and you won't be able to put it down.

This is an outstanding book! It has a wonderful combination of a fasciniating and exciting espionage story, viewed at times in a wonderfully nostalgic background through the eyes of Anna Khorev. The novel also takes us to some fascinating areas of the world, and describes them beautifully. I whole-heartedly recommend it. The plot is primarily set in the post-war USSR, where the CIA have plotted to kill Joseph Stalin (Operation Snow Wolf), the mission being coordinated by Jake Massey, who enlisted the aid of Alex Slanksi and Anna Khorev, with the KGB under Levrente Beria attempting to thwart them at every opportunity. The characters are well developed, as are the relationships between them. And, in spite of its length, the novel remains fast paced, and addictive. I couldn't put it down.

if you read this book be ready to go back to the 1940's baby. sally battles soooooo many hardships in her life than she ever has in her life! i recomend this book to all ages . my sister is in the 2nd grade she read it and she loved it . hope to see you reading this great book!!!!(-: (-;

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This book is very interesting and full of adventure, when I started reading this book I couldn't put it down the excitement of Sally's life was amazing and it remided me of my own.
Sally J. Freedman is the main character of this book she is about 11 years old and she is curious about life's journeys. Sally is Jewish and she has some questions about her religion that you can find out if you read the book. Sally has to move to Miami Beach because her Mom is very conscientious and doesn't want her family to get sick from the cold weather in New Jersey.
When Sally leaves New Jersey she has to take a train because her Mom doesn't like to fly. Sally's father, Arnold, has to stay in New Jersey because of his business. Sometimes Arnold gets to go to places like Cuba or the Goodyear Blimp. Sally gets to take one of her friends. Sally's brother, Douglas, gets to bring one of his friends, but Sally's Mom, Louise, is scared. She thinks that something bad is going to happen when she is on the blimp, but Sally's grandmother, Ma Fanny, doesn't want to go either.
Near the end of the book some thing really unexpected happens but you will have to find out for yourself by reading the book.
I would reccomend this book to anyone especially girls who love to learn about life. It teaches about religion and superstition but sometimes Sally makes up her own stories about what she thinks about the people around her are like there was one person who she thought was Aldof Hitler but the rest is a mystery.

Sally learns that there are many different perks of growing up. Through the novel, it strictly demonstrates various situations that require special attention. Sally is constantly having hurdles to go through, and if you would like to join Sally, then pick up a copy of the book, and you will be able to go through the journey with her.

Growing up in the 1940s is both perplexing and exhilerating for 10-year-old Sally Freedman. The war has just ended, and her family is going to spend the winter in Miami to help her older brother Douglas recover from a bad kidney infection.

Miami's full of wonderful new things for Sally, including warm weather, knowledgeable older friends and a totally different style of living. But at the same time, a shadow seems to linger from the war, involving things that Sally doesn't quite understand and which no one will explain to her. So, she's forced to try filling in some of the gaps herself...which is met with sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartwrenching effects.

For some odd reason, this is one of Blume's least-mentioned books; although, it's certainly one of her finest.

I really love this book. It is one of my favorite books. You cannot put it down.

Great little mystery with all the intrigue we have come to expect from Ms. Clark. She brings some fun little science bits that worked perfectly into the suspense with plenty of interesting relationships.

Mary Higgins Clark is one of those contemporary writers who can deliver a great story without graphic sexuality, violence or language. This particular book is one of my favorite Mary Higgins Clark books as it deals with the business of reproductive technologies. Over the last 10 years, I have read it over and over again.

A typical (and dependable) offering from MHC. Although her books are formulaic (beautiful woman in danger has to use her brains and a little outside help to figure out how to save herself and close friends or family members), they are still enjoyable. Although there is the added challenge of figuring out if I've read this particular book before or if it's just because it's all so familiar because of MHC's [tried and true] formula. But then, that's part of the reason that I enjoy her books . . . they ARE dependable. I have almost always enjoyed her books. When I am traveling and need something to fall asleep to in the evenings, I can count on MHC to deliver --- and I can recommend her books to friends and not be concerned about which one they pick up or that they have to be read in order.

An awesome mystery/suspense novel from Mary Higgins Clark. The best part about this book is it never gets stagnet. There are constantly new revelations, new suspisions, and I loved it!!

This is a fun read. The main mystery is about Meghan's father. Mehgan tries to unravel whether her dad is dead or alive, if he had a double life, and if he murdered a unqualified fertility doctor after his disappearance. I really liked how all of these story lines flowed together and how they added to the mystery and suspense. I really didn't feel this story line was as predictable as other reviewers felt it was. I went back and forth between suspecting who the real murderer was and the ending surprised me.

I also like how Higgins-Clark developed the characters. That said, Bernie really didn't add anything to this book. I am not sure what Clark needed him for other than to add a disturbed character.

All in all this book did not disappoint.

It was with much anticipation that I picked up this copy of Poland by Michener. I have enjoyed many of his books in the past, though they can at times become slow and plodding as he traces the development of a people or land from the primordial soup of creation. Poland does not suffer from this problem. Having recently travelled to Poland and meeting people in Warsaw and touring some of the memorials that have come to mean so much to the people, I was eager to learn more about this country that has been overrun by many nations on their way to conquer other nations. It is as though leaders of these conquering nations would say, "Hey let's take Poland on our way to Germany."

I found the book, Poland to be less enjoyable because it did not follow Michener's classical treatment of his topic by tracing a thread from the dawn of the country to present times. I will continue to look for a story that captures the heart and soul of the people of Poland. I feel this one left much unsaid and left me wanting more. In fairness to Michener maybe the story of Poland would be better written today and their story continues to evolve.

This is not one of Michener's best. Usually his books fascinate me. This time, I was bored.

I finished Poland on the heels of Mila 18 by Uris and it gave me the back drop of the country and a more thorough view of Poland as a whole. I had no idea of the history of Poland and of the rich history that was nearly stolen from her on more than one occasion. I highly recommend this book for it's entertainment factor and historical richness.

Poland by James A. Michener is a book that has been on my favorites list since I was in High School. My Paternal family descended from Slovak and Polish peasants. This historical novel is great in painting a picture of what life was like for my family and for other of Polish ancestry.

This book stars characters from 3 families from the 1200's to the 1900's that represent the 3 major classes in Polish society. First you have the Lubonski's that represent the Nobility, then the Bukowski's that are knights of the poorer Gentry. Then finally you have my kin. The Buk's, who are the peasants, continue to carry the burden of history through the generations.

Although this book might not be totally correct to historical standards it does give a person a good idea of what life in Poland was like for a person of any of the classes in the years that are shown in this novel. From the Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan to the German, Austrian and Russians all taking there bits through the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries to the final Nazi led German occupation of Poland during World War II and finally the Russian "Liberation" and Communist state of Poland that was during the 1980's when the novel was written. Each generation shows the different class struggles and a little of the basics of their lives. Each was dependant on the other and Poland unique place in history becomes clear. From the first European form of a representative government with predominately foreign elected Kings and the constant struggle to survive the political, racial and religious battles from 1200AD to the 1980's. Poland is an outstanding historical novel that educates and entertains at the same time.

This is a flattering and colorful portrait of the would-be neutral pacifists of Eastern Europe, a stubborn and crafty people, hardened by round after round of invasion by the Mongols, Tatars, Swedes, Germans, Cossacks, and Russians. The brilliance of this novel is in the way Michener makes history come to life. Though he surely takes bold creative liberties in putting flesh on the skeletal historical remains of the past, the character development and dialogue make this one of the most memorable historical fiction novels I've read.

Michener's range is wide- never before have I read an account of the holocaust more sobering, or an account of 19th century classical music so inspiring. Behind every battle there's a miraculous story of ingenuity, from the Polish horsemen confusing enemies with whistling feathered adornments, to winning a battle by waiting in the shade while the approaching army sweat in the midday heat. Colorful characters come to life in each chapter; there's Pawel, the spy whose talent is that his features make him appear much far more ignorant than he really is; Piotr, the flaky royal sibling who drifts into the woods and climbs trees with the children. So many of these personal stories ends in tragedy; gruesome death, or romantic love stifled to make way for a strategic marriage for status or wealth. Within this tremendous range, the most enduring image of the book is the stubborn Professor Tomczyk, putting his fist in the air and shouting "Rebuild! Rebuild!" as he is hung by the Nazis. There's an old saying that every Pole is born with a brick in their left hand and a sword in their right hand, and this book makes me believe it.

I was in heaven from the first page, shipboard lingo, characters that you can almost see Patrick O'brian is the author I have longed for all of my life. I have an Admiral in my family tree and feel it is where I get my love for sea stories. This is a novel that every boy should read and I will again with pleasure. I can't wait to indulge myself with all the others. Cheers J.HMS Surprise

Third in the series, with Cap'n Jack Aubrey captaining his own ship to the Far East, planning his wedding with Sophie, and rescuing his friend Maturin. Good action is trumped by a better vision of non-action, as O'Brian portrays the long shipbound trip to the East.

The inclusion of a diagram of the masts and sails of a sailing ship, but not of a map of the travels of the Surprise is no mere coincidence--O'Brian paints a world that shrinks to the deck and rigging of a ridiculously small ship on a vast deserted ocean.

The relationship between the two men grows deeper and more mature, as indeed the men themselves seem to mature and take on more responsibility.

Fourth in the series: The Mauritius Command

Picks up where Post Captain left off. jack and Stephen are back in England. Jack needs cash to marry his sweetheart Sophie. Stephen is unsure which he loves more, Science or Sophies Cousin Diana.

Jack is given command of HMS Surprise and is to deliver an ambassadore to an Indonesian Sultanate on the other side of the world. They have many stops and adventures on the way.

Finally they land in Mumbai. Stephen finds that Diana is there and gets in an affair of honor with Diana's benefactor Mr. Canning. Things escalate and the pair leave India quickly. They gain fame by defending East India Company Ships from a French Fleet.

Jack is rewarded by Canning. Stephen has a duel with Canning and things get tied up nicely in the end between each man and his love though some would say its not for the better of either of them.

I anxiously await reading the Mauritious Command.

This book, third in the wonderful series, is the first that makes one think that perhaps some of the usual descriptions are missing something.

If you read the story and reflect upon it, do you possibly come to think that perhaps, in reality, the story of Jack Aubrey's career is mostly a peg on which to hang the complex life-story of Stephen Maturin?

So instead of the sea-captain being the central figure, and Maturin his interesting companion, the books are about a wonderfully rich and complex individual who happened to spend much of his life at sea in the Navy of the early 1800's.

Consider: we are made privy to far more of Stephen's inner thoughts than Jack's: we usually see Jack from outside, but we look over Stephen's shoulder as he pens his diary. We are fully in touch with Stephen's emotions, in all the key points in his relationship with Diane, the terrible sadness over the child Dil - whereas when Jack receives a srong emotional blow, for instance in "Master and Commander," where he comes back from finding Molly Harte together with Colonel Pitt, "He was very pale, and in the strong moonlight he looked deathly - black hole for a mouth, hollows for his eyes." All right, we understand his feelings, but by outside observation, not by entering into Jack's thoughts.

By contrast, in HMS Surprise we have the heart-wrenching drama of Stephen and Diana: surely the moment when he feels through the envelope, the ring returned to him, that he had given with such hopes, is one of the most touching in literature. And what are we to think of Diana? Are moral judgments relevant? Surely we can understand her wish to escape the worlds of both India and England, which have both given her nothing but cruelty. Yet if only Jack Aubrey had agreed to take her home in Surprise, what a different outcome there might have been, being with Stephen for the whole voyage. But Jack was stern and unwilling, partly because he felt she would only hurt Stephen, partly to assuage his own guilt for his past wooing of her.

Yet with all the emotional drama, we do not lack for naval action, or marvelous scenes, or humor. The descriptions of India surely can be compared to none but Kipling's of nearly 100 years later. We get the thunderous action where Jack saves the India merchant fleet from the French navy. And we have Stephen's three-toed sloth, brought aboard from the jungles of Brazil, a favorite with the ship's company: but it doesn't like Jack Aubrey until one day Jack gives it a little cake soaked in rum - ah-hah! "Some minutes later he felt a touch on his knee: the sloth had silently climbed down and it was standing there, its beady eyes looking up into his face, bright with expectation. More cake, more grog: growing confidence and esteem." After a few days of this, Stephen notes its condition - he "looked sharply round, saw the decanter, smelt to the sloth, and cried "Jack, you have debauched my sloth." Quite a row ensues, to the entertainment of those overhearing it...

I will need to have the whole series of Aubrey/Maturin adventures to listen to as I work. Nothing like vacuming, cleaning the house, watering the plants etc, etc and listening to these stories.

You know how real PIs, cops, and spies for that matter, are forever saying, perhaps even lamenting, that their life is not at all as interesting as books, movies and TV would make it out to be. Well, here is a series that understands just how dull policing can be and is not afraid to show it. I just wonder if we need books that are duller than real life.

Since I would like to find a new series to read, I've borrowed [some books you just don't want to own] another in this series, much further up the line in hopes that the author has learned how to write because, oddly for a book with many raves, the writing style, at least of the first one, is less than compelling.

I'm not following the five star group, but I enjoyed the story and the way Donna Leon writes. There's enough personal information about each of the main characters to add the realness and enjoy the little fickle behaviors of each, without it becoming the main driving part of the story telling. And the story itself is good, but not excellent in my opinion, because certain things that happened are almost too bad and too cliche-ish. There's a bit of exaggeration here and there of how bad some of the living conditions are and how much certain people have suffered because of this evil genius. And yet, in the end, we have a reasonable explanation of what happened, a charitable act of forgiveness that makes us feel better about "the law", and there's a certain balance of good and evil that feels like real justice instead of "letter of the law."

I'll definitely read more of the series to get the larger view. This was my first.

A death at the opera, a matter for the police, and my, how quickly the action starts. In Venice the police arrive by boat. Guido Brunetti is the Commissario of the police and the hero of this series.

It is learned the dead man is Wellauer, a German conductor. It seems that the death is caused by the ingestion of cyanide. One of the newspapers pictures the deceased maestro with Maria Callas.

Brunetti's wife's parents live in a palazzo. He asks his wife to arrange for him to attend a party there so he can ask questions about the maestro. Brunetti feels that in Venice gossip is the real cult. After the party Guido Brunetti decides to interview some of the musicians.

I really don't like to give genre fiction five stars, but this is exceedingly good.

Death at La Fenice, written in 1992, is Donna Leon's first in her series of crime novels set in Venice, featuring Guido Brunetti, Commissario of Police. (The American author has lived in Venice for many years and has taught English literature at degree level.)

La Fenice (pronounced La Fen-ee-chay) is the city's opera house, and the death is that of a visiting German conductor. (On her own website, the author relates how the impetus behind the book was her dislike of a certain German conductor with a dubious past, presumably von Karajan.)

Over 25 chapters and 338 pages, my interest was maintained: although not an un-put-down-able book, it is nevertheless a willing pick-me-up-able one. The characterisation is good, the description of Venice is realistic, and the plot believable. I enjoyed it so much, I have ordered the second in the series, Death in a Strange Country.

Not your typical mystery book. The ending is not only a surprise, but a unique one. Enjoy!