New Zealand Books

Having read all of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne mysteries I cannot say which one I like the best. But, I love them all and when I get jaded from reading some of the "modern" mysteries full of sex, four letter words and blood and guts I settle down with one of these before bedtime. Let me say I am in love with Australia and would live there if I could--too old to move and my wife would never go. We were fortunate enough to visit several years ago and loved every minute.
Greenwood has developed a very likeable and superlative heroine. The supporting cast is well drawn and interesting in their own. These are truly "cozies" and I find them very enjoyable reads, rationing them carefully lest I run out.
If you like Australian mysteries I would heartily recommend anything you can find by Arthur Upfield, who wrote in the period after WW II. His hero is an Australian police detective "halfcaste" who specialized in solving mysteries in the outback and rural areas of Australia. Great flavor and good story telling!

In my review of the first in Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher series, Cocaine Blues, I wrote this:

"The Phryne Fisher series came highly recommended by a man not usually given to Affirmative Action crits, but I can't help feeling that if this had been written by a bloke . . .

"Female readers may well enjoy the anachronistic cheap shots at Twenties' inequalities, and God knows there could be worse heroines for the Noughties. (Or do we call the present decade the Oh-Ohs?)

"Lovers of crime fiction will surely be disappointed, and not only by the fact that the King of Snow was obvious from the start. This is an amateurish effort, best illustrated by having the members of a White Russian noble family speak French when alone with each other in private (rather than Russian) the better to be eavesdroppedupon by our French-speaking heroine.

"It's not bad wordsmithery, as you might expect of a lawyer who moonlights as an author, but I'm guessing most male readers will not find this enough."

I figured I should give Greenwood the benefit of the doubt (legal pun there, or perhaps a cricketing one) since as an Aussie I had my own bit of Positive Discrimination going. And I'm sure those who know Melbourne better than me take great pleasure in the "local" settings, albeit displaced 80 years into the past.

So I turned to this one, which adds Geelong (and indeed Queenscliff) to its Aussie locales. It also adds precocious kid (and an array of loveable urchins) to its stock of clichéd characters, but I'm guessing that's a chick lit thing.

It also adds to the scale of Phryne's derring-do, having her walk out on the wing of a Tiger Moth minus parachute (with a man she has only just met and never flown with before and who is completely unprepared for this stunt, left at the reserve controls) just so she can prove she is one of the boys.

I don't want to give the solution to the mystery away (although I'm not sure these novels are really intended for lovers of that genre, the plots are way too weak), but my jaw dropped even further than the murder weapon at how much could turn on not one of the cops bothering to look over the fence!

It's worth half a star more than Cocaine Blues, but since I still can't work out how to award half stars (and Cocaine Blues was only worth 2.5 anyway, IMHO), this one gets three.

In the three months that the Honorable Phyrne Fisher has lived in Australia, she has made a name for herself as an investigator who always solves her cases. She solved a case for a woman who travels in high society circles and that woman gives Phyrne's business a glowing recommendation to her friends. Her latest client Mrs. McNaughton is afraid that her son will kill her husband because he refuses to lend his son money to go on an airplane adventure. At the airport Phyrne talks to Bill McNaughton and tells her about her mother's fears and he tells he was never intending to kill his father. Bill's friend Jack Lawton is amazed as he watches Phyrne fly Bill's plane with much skill.

The next day Phyrne learns that Mr. McNaughton has been murdered and Bill has been arrested. When he is released on bail he hires Phyrne to find the real killer. While she works that case Candida Maldon is kidnapped and held for ransom. Jack convinces the family to hire Phyrne, who she devises a plan using Bill's plane to find and retrieve the kidnapped girl. Solving Bill's problem is a piece of cake in comparison.

Kerry Greenwood is one of Australia's most talented mystery writers. Her heroine is a woman who would be at home in the twenty-first century but since she lives in the 1920's she is careful to project a proper image while still doing what she wants. The wily, spunky heroine somehow makes the audience believe she is smart enough to easily solve two cases in a matter of days while the exotic locale will please armchair travelers.

Harriet Klausner

The second book in the series takes place only a few months after "Cocaine blues" ends and with it returns its bright and luminous Phryne Fisher. Many of the secondary (if you can call them that) characters return which adds a nice touch. I liked this book even more than the previous one. Phryne seems to have found her grove in this story along with moving into her new, fashionable domicile. She has to solve two cases at once, the murder of a cantankerous, generally disliked husband and father and the kidnapping of a little girl. Phryne handles both cases with her normal aplomb, intuition and style along with a little wing walking and flying. I especially like Greenwood's use of language and how it reflects the times; this adds another layer of fun and effervescence to these stories that makes me look forward to the next one. I recommend this book highly.

this second in the series is even better than the first. and it features airplanes.

the characterizations are first rate, the plot is nicely paced, the resolution satisfying, the information about bi-planes enough to send anyone out to find and fly one.

phyne's situation develops and characters who will continue in the series are introduced. this book could still be read without reference to the first, as there is enough backstory to bring a reader up to date.

this series is a must for any mystery lover, but any read could enjoy them for the writing, the humor, the history of australia, and, of course, for phyrne.

Despite some glaring omissions, such as the lack of any detail about Amon's first marriage, this is a very interesting biography, especially for a New Zealand reader who is old enough to remember Amon's racing years. The book is good but noticeably shorter than Young's biographies of Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme.

I've seen Chris Amon race a few times in the sixties. In formula 2 in Zolder (where I was born) and in formula 1 in Franchorchamps. He was a nice chap (he still is, I suppose)and readily spent a couple of minutes with a 15-year old who spoke lousy English. Posing for a few pictures was no problem either. 40-odd years later, I still have the (black&white) snapshots.
I always considered him to be one of the best drivers ever. Victories and/or world titles never tell the complete story. Michael Schumacher is a mediocre, because very unsportsmanlike, driver with an impressive roll of honour. Amon was a great driver and, most of all, a real human being, not a walking advertising column.

Back in the olden days-well, the seventies-when there was no such thing as F1 racing on teevee, one had to rely on periodicals to stay current! Really, magazines! One quickly discovered the good magazines were:"Autosport","Motorsport" and "Competition Press" and that guys like Denis Jenkinson, Pete Lyons and Eoin Young were the guys you wanted to read. Sure there were others but these were my big three. Anyway, imagine my delight on finding a biography of the eternally unlucky Kiwi written by the eternally entertaining one! I only saw Amon in action twice, both times near the end of his career (Long Beach and Anderstorp 1976) but had known of him for years longer and like I said: Eoin Young's prose is of the best! The book is wonderfully evocative of a better time in the world of autoracing, or so it would seem; the drivers, anyway, were personalities and not corporate paper dolls, the circuits varied and challenging and the cars needful of drivers, real drivers!
If for nothing more than chapter three, "High times: the Ditton Road Flyers and 'Big Ed'"this book is well worth the money and the time it takes to read. I was laughing so hard it was a wonder the nice men with the butterfly nets didn't come and take me to the laughing academy.
The rest of the book is likewise engaging, informative and sometimes the incidents described are tragic, so that it's a relief to find that our hero hadn't gone home to Bulls, New Zealand to become a bitter recluse forever damning the (bad) old days.
I will certainly be keeping an eye open for future offerings from Mister Young, as long as he keeps writing 'em, I'll keep reading 'em.

A big fan of Chris Amon, I tried to follow his career and watched some of the Formula One races where he was comfortably leading (Jarama 1968, Montjuich 1969) and must have won. The way I felt witnessing his car breaking down those times, I cannot even imagine how he must have felt! I also watched some other of his rides during those years in Spain, France and Britain. And I unfortunately missed his masterful driving pieces at Monza, Spa and, very especially, Clermont-Ferrand. After all, not much F1 on TV then, and no time and money to get to every Grand Prix there was.

And here I found, a few months ago, his biography written by no less than Eoin Young. Besides attending a race live, the other best way of knowing what was going on, and getting fine entertainment out of the reading, was to get a copy of Autocar, (not easy to find here in Spain) and read one of Eoin's articles. Of course, I couldn't miss this book!

I really felt transported to the "good old times", and enjoyed enormously the reading. It was much better than attending the missing races, and knowing first-hand about Chris personality, ups and downs, were both gratifying and touching. I especially savoured the italian anecdotes of his Ferrari times: His lunches in the company of the great Enzo Ferrari, were really something, not to mention the return trips with the Old Man at the wheel of the 2+2 Berlinetta. And the situation during the '67 Le Mans 24-hour, in the middle of the night, trying to replace a punctured wheel of his P4, can make you laugh to tears.

I believe this book is a must for anyone interested in the history of motorsport. Thanks to Eoin for such great reading moments.

"Forza Amon" is the first full length biography of this legendary unlucky driver, and is a ripping good yarn. Previous writings about Amon were usually hindered by the fact that Amon was considered to be part of a trio - Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme were other New Zealand drivers participating in Formula One at more or less the same time as Chris, and there are a number of "Trio at the top" titles which deal with all three New Zealanders. "Forza Amon" is written by a fellow New Zealander, Eoin Young, who used to work for the McLaren Racing Team in the 1960's, and later on as a motorsport journalist. Young and Amon both knew each other back in the early McLaren days when Chris was an up and comer in the game.

The tale begins with a young Kiwi on a farm in Bulls, New Zealand, the same young Kiwi who would taste the ultimate success at Le Mans in 1966, and who would go on to lead the famous and illustrious Ferrari team in their F1 efforts. During a Formula One career spanning 13 seasons from 1963 to 1976, Amon would famously lead 183 laps in Formula One Championship races, failing to finish first even once (he did win a couple of non-championship F1 events, including the 1971 Argentine F1 race).

Yound writes of Amon's early motorsport endeavours in small town NZ in the 50's, before debutting with Reg Parnell's outfit in 1963, having made the trip to Europe. The glory days with Ferrari, March, and Matra are covered. The distasterous Amon F1 car is discussed, as is the shambolic 1973 effort with Tecno, before Amon stepped into the 3rd Tyrell for the penultimate race of the season. Chris's F1 career winds down with Ensign, the little outfit for which Chris finished 5th in one race.

The book benefits from what appears to considerable input from Chris himself - it is obvious that Young spent a lot of time down on the family farm in Bulls, coaxing these stories out of Chris over a beer (or dozen). Young also draws upon contempory writings particularly those of Motorsport and Denis Jenkinson. There are a number of photographs, colour and black & white in 4 inserts throughout the book. "Forza Amon!" is fast, easy, and enjoyable reading especially for those who dislike the sanitized Formula One of today.

Like another reviewer from Hawai'i, I also read this book in a Pacific Island literature class. What could have easily become a story about white man's exploitation of the Maori people and the environment (and I'm okay with that kind of story too), was instead turned into a glimpse inside the Polynesian mind and set of values. The sections most unsettling to us Caucasians -- those on the mystical aspects of the wood carvings -- relate much about the way the Polynesian views the past, as being in front of them, something to learn from. And we learn that what we regard as "ancestor worship" is really a matter of valuing those who have cared for the land and passed it on to us, along with the knowledge of how to live on it. We're also shown the value of stories: This book is told as a collection of the stories of many persons, each of whom has a unique perspective, something a little different to tell. Some stories are pragmatic, some we would term "mystical," but they too contain a valid warning.
This book probably did more than any ever -- fiction or non-fiction, and I'm a voracious reader -- to help me understand Polynesian values, which are basically the same values as those of indigenous peoples all over the world -- care for the land, respect the ancestors, listen to others' stories. Our planet desperately needs indigenous values!

This was a mandatory book in a Pacific Literature class. Lucky for me. It is filled with complex symbolism that tells not only of a land struggle for a people who are holding on to their traditions, but how they learn, and choose what they take from "Western" ideas in order to fight for what little of their own land that the government has left for them. A lot of other people -including Hawaiians- are going through this now, which makes this book as relevant today as it was when it was written.

The story is told through Toko, a deformed child who has a special knowing. He is central figure in the book, and not only as a story teller. His "second mother", Roimata, is the other story teller. Although, everyone has a story, they are the only two who actually tell the stories. It is an enriching and enlightening book for anyone familiar or not familiar with Moari culture or the struggles between land developers, government, and native peoples of any country or island. It is also much more than that, but I don't want to write an essay just to tell you how great the book is!

I can't recall when I've ever felt so strongly the musical rhythm of an author's style, or the extent to which it changes to suit the tempo of the action and themes. In the first third of this wonderful book by a very talented writer, conversations between the simple Mary and Granny Tamihana, the guardian of Maori traditions, echo and sound like chants; between Roimata and Hemi, a happily married couple, they resemble duets with complimentary themes. The scene in which Mary gives birth is a grand, complex chorus with the several family members singing over, around, and above each other as they fight for the narrative line. Toko's story of his big fish is a soaring aria which ventures into a mystical realm, for Toko is a seer. And all this music seems totally appropriate to the lives of these Maori characters living in harmony with the land and their ancestors.

The middle third of the book changes, as Hemi, the father of the family, abruptly introduces the harsh notes of reality which occur when "the works" closes down, and he and his friends find themselves unemployed. In mournful tones he comments on the loss of tradition, language, and connection to the land which are coming about as education is imposed on their children by outside authorities, and people such as himself accept outside jobs. Their very existence as a group is also threatened by developers who want to buy their land to put up hotels, build seaside parks where visitors can play with the dolphins and whales, and commercialize the lifestyle these Maori have enjoyed all their lives.

In the final third of the book, as the Maoris fight for their land, the staccato, simple language is like the harsh beat of a war drum, and the songs disappear from the language, not returning until the rebuilding of the sacred house and the funeral of a key character bring about harmony and poetry once again.

It is hard to imagine that Patricia Grace did not deliberately tailor her prose style to her subject matter, yet this seems so completely natural--so totally without artifice--that one wonders if this harmony of words and subject might be the ultimate, triumphant example of the unity of story and life which she so vividly celebrates in this memorable and touching novel. Mary Whipple

I had a hard time reading this book -- there were parts of it that I found lyrical & compelling (like the introduction, and many of the chapters narrated by toko) and parts that seemed very heavy-handed (especially the telling of the history of protests over land that had been claimed by the gov't during wartime and the chapters narrated by hemi). Especially early in the book I found it easy to set it aside for periods of time, but I got more engaged as I got to the second section.

One major weakness is that there's no glossary or translation of any of the Maori terms, so it's a much more difficult read for someone who is trying to become more familiar with the people and culture than someone who already is.

By luck, I got this book from my local library on recommendation of a friend. After reading it I still felt the emotions of these Maori people who maintain their ancient traditions and beliefs in a thoroughly modern world. The impact of old/new carvings, the constant sound and smell of the sea conflicting with modern bulldozers and "Dollarmen" trying to outwit the villagers, is only part of the story. You feel you can enter the minds of the family members who tell the story, mostly in English, but some in beautiful Maori poetry. You may not know what the words mean, but try reciting them out loud and you sense the deep meaning of them.

Disillusioned and weary of being a tool of Empire during New Zealand's Maori Wars, George Fairweather decides to settle down where fate has landed him on the East Cape. After years of war he finds his sympathies run as much with the natives as the settlers. Unfortunately for him, his skills are martial, and so he is soon pressed into service in a war that is part war of conquest, part civil war among the Maori, and far too subject to the whims of personal vanity among those on either side who declare themselves leaders in the conflict.

I read this beautiful novel just prior to my first trip to New Zealand, and it gave me a way to look at the land as I traveled. I altered my itinerary to take in some of the scenes of this novel, and it was worth it. There is a hard edge to the thinly populated East Cape area that you see a lot more of when you are alert to some of the history. I recommend this book especially if you are considering a visit to Poverty Bay and the East Cape.

To an American the dialogue can be so intriguingly stilted and formal -- it took me a while to get used to it, but once you dial into it, it is so rich and communicative -- words from Fairweather have a sardonic precision that often surprise you. In Season of the Jew everyone seems to be speaking in veiled terms, yet they are all so perceptive to the layered meanings and nuances of every sentence. I loved it. I gradually came to see it as a reflection of a time when people placed immense value on the spoken word and used it to convey complex meaning. In the story Fairweather tries often to express himself in paint, and yet is never successful. His true legacy is his terse but vivid dialogue.

With that in mind I was very distressed to learn that the author Maurice Shadbolt eventually succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease. To have an author burn the conflicts of the those days into your memory, then lose his own memory... It's a tragedy on par with those he describes in the book.

Read this book, you won't regret it. And visit New Zealand, you'll love that too!

The last thing I expected when I saw the title "Season of the Jew" was a book set in colonial New Zealand about Maori "rebels" under a leader called Kooti and colonial attempts to suppress this "menace" to the Queen's Peace.

The story basically follows the character of George Fairweather as he gets caught up in Poverty Bay, (among other places), after having discharged from the 18th Infantry. A Maori "nobody", (Kooti), finds himself exiled to the Chatham Islands sometime after meeting Fairweather. After some time, the same guy manages to return to New Zealand with a band of fellow exiles and all full of the religious zeal of a "New Israel". Fairweather gets caught up in the events surrounding this, with his remarkably honest outlook on life and his position in it.

The narrative itself is excellent, and maintains a frenetic pace that keeps you guessing at what will come next. In some places violent, the plot captures the essence of the day well, and Shadbolt's attention to detail is very much noted. Shadbolt's descriptions of the terrain and New Zealand of the time capture the land well, and almost drop you in the middle of it.

The dialogues are very long in places, and you sometimes need to keep track of who is speaking. It takes a bit of time to get used to the English that is a little different from modern conventions and styles. However, once done, the dialogues themselves are rewarding reads in witticism and observations by the characters. Contrary to another reviewer, I did not find these a problem, nor did they get in the way of the overall plot.

It is also in the dialogues that Shadbolt captures the prevailing attitudes of the colonists and settlers of the day regarding the Maori population. The arrogance and complete self-assurance that lead to some resounding beatings at the hands of the so-called "savages" who often displayed a far more Christian and civilised attitude than their "Christian betters".

In short, "Season of the Jew" is a surprising book that is well written, colourfully filled with characters of substance, and keeps one going on for more to see what or who is lurking behind the next fern.

For those with an interest in New Zealand, the book is based on true events around 1868, so it is well worth the read and effort to get. It will not be regretted.

I'm obsessed with Season of the Jew having read it 4 times in 6 years. George Fairweather, the Scottish soldier who "retired" from the British Army in New Zealand without enough money to return home,is one of the most honorably noble characters I've ever come across. I desperately wish I could give a 25 word "pitch" to a movie producer as this novel's values are much needed by today's society. What a grand movie it would make!!!The love story weaving throughout this book takes place between two level headed adults who are strong and self sufficient; no hang up's here. The choices for survival made by each at times are gut wrenching. I can say I felt intensely strong emotions; happiness, depression, anger, surprise. My heart welled in my throat several times. I was left with a grand respect for humanity, and most of all great admiration for the author, Maurice Shadbolt.

The first few chapters are difficult to follow, but, by the third you are hooked. Shadbolt's sense of irony is constant throughout his book. I loved how the dialogues took 180 degree turns; I never guessed what was next to come.

As mentioned by a previous reviewer, the Old Testatment provides reasons for imprisoned Maori's to fight for the right to pass peacefully through what used to be their land. Yet, when faced with this simple request, the British settlers set off a series of events leading to deception, disgrace, violence, death, and the beginnings of the most fascinating novel I've ever read. Hero's were made of simple men.

Season of the Jew is joyously satisfying. Shadbolt is a master with words; George Fairweather someone you'll really want to know.

The novel is based on historical events in New Zealand, a Maori rebellion inspired by the Old Testament. The rebellion's leader casts himself as a latter day Moses bringing down righteous destruction on the English Caananites. The novel's protagonist, a retired English officer, turned landscape painter, finds himself a leader of the defense forces arrayed against the rebellion, despite feeling more empathy for the rebels than his European allies.

A complex, literate novel with unforgettable characters, beautifully etched descriptions, and a suspenseful story-line. I'd rank it among the very best novels I've ever read. If you have any interest at all in New Zealand it's a must-read.

This is a serious, well-intentioned work. This book's historical detail and grasp of the mentality of colonial New Zealand were impressive, and its narrative was gripping. Shadbolt clearly has a command of the military history of the period, and he knows how to handle a plot. But the book seemed more like a play than a novel, due to not only the amount of dialogue but the mannered, periphrastic tone in which the dialogue was conducted. The dialogue was witty, full of intellectual poise, expressing its protagonists' attitudes neatly--rather like second-tier Tom Stoppard. But it did not give the impression of how soldiers in nineteenth-century New Zealand would really talk. Even if anachronism was inevitable here, the characters' attitudes seemed too polished, assured, glib--which would not hurt in a play where role-playing is part of the generic apparatus, but does tend to disconcert the reader of a novel. With the exception of the very well-drawn Hamiora Pere, most of the characters were stereotypes--the colonial regiment officer, the Irishman, the skeptical British expatriate. Given that the novel seems to want to look at this material with new eyes, this creates difficulties. Te Kooti himself is not given a well-rounded portrait, so he appears as merely a mass of contradictions.

Another problem, which probably stems from the dramatic, dialogue-based framework of the book, is that the religious aspects of Te Kooti are scanted. Despite the book being titled "Season of the Jew," little is made of Te Kooti's appropriation of the Old Testament or of the phenomenon of the Bible inspiring far more passion among the Maori than among its European propagators. But coming to terms with this issue would have required more exposition and less snappy, witty dialogue that entertains in the short run but eventually gets in the reader's way.

This work might have been mesmerizing as a drama (or, as a previous reviewer wrote, as a movie), but is somewhat disappointing as a novel. The story of Te Kooti is better told in Judith Binney's recent biography.

In this next book in the Angelina Ballerina series, Angelina has spent the winter saving up her money for when the fair arrives in town. Disaster strikes (in Angelina's eyes) when she is forced to take her little cousin Henry along. She proceeds take her annoying little cousin on all of the rides that she loves, but he finds frightening. However, when Henry disappears, Angelina learns a lesson about others.

My daughter and I do love the Angelina books. Katherine Holabird and Helen Craig make a formidable team! If you have a child (a girl especially), then we do recommend this book to you.

This book is a good one, especially if your child loves the fair, but beware that the word "hate" is used to describe how she feels about her cousin...not exactly the words I would have chosen to describe the fact that she doesn't want to take him along with her to the fair...but it's easy enough to change the words on the fly for younger listeners.

This is the first Angelina book I recieved and I believe that it is the best in the series of Angelina books. It has everything a terrific children's book should have. The characters were obviously created with great attention to details and are utterly charming. The fabulous watercolor illustrations were enriching to me as a child when I read Angelina at the Fair due to the pastel color choices. This book also has a perfect balance of intrigue, suspense, and adventure. Every little girl should have the opportunity to read this book.

This is a wonderful book. I have read it to my 3 year old daughter dozens of times. It has a scary element to the story, which she loves. But, not too scary for a 3 year old. The pictures are interesting as well as the story line. Angelina at the Fair is fun.

Knowing that Ngaio Marsh lived in New Zealand, it made sense that she would situate one of her mysteries in her beloved adopted country. In this book Inspector Alleyn is in New Zealand during World War II to do a bit of "spy busting". As in all her books, this one has a flawlessly written plot with a very tight story line. In the keeping of a "spy story", Ms. Marsh's Alleyn does not appear as himself. He appears in the story in a very clever disguise, and the reader will have the fun of figuring out who he is. It took me a little while. What Alleyn has come to the spa to investigate is the death of one of the people who had an interest in the spa. We meet some very unique characters in this book. The Colonel's family is quite wonderful actually.Ms. Marsh can tell a tale!

Set during World War II, the 1942 COLOUR SCHEME concerns a noted stage star, Geoffrey Gaunt, who finds himself afflicted with "fibrosistis." Electing to soak himself in the sulfurous mud baths at Wai-ata-tapu, Gaunt finds himself at an isolated and very ramshackle guest house incompetently run by the well-meaning but exceedingly provincial Claire family, who are beset by the singularly unpleasant Maurice Questing.

Questing has an unknown hold over the family--and an incredibly boorish manner to boot--but does he have anything to do with the flashing lights seen on the hillside inside the native Maori preserve? Lights that may signaled to enemy agents watching, and sinking, military ships? Certainly various members of the Claire family believe so. The speculation is enough to attract the interest of Inspector Alleyn, on wartime duty from his native England. And when murder at last rears its ugly head it proves unexpectedly horrific.

COLOUR SCHEME finds Marsh writing at full power, and it is a memorable melange of beautifully rendered characters, atmospheric setting, and intricate plot. In spite of this, however, I find it among my least favorite of her novels--for the characters are among the least likable she ever created, ranging from the downright disgusting to the tiresomely egotistical to the merely stupid. While this should not detract from a first-time reader's enjoyment, it certainly doesn't make this a novel that you will likely care to revisit--and as such I give it four instead of five stars.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Nagio Marsh's Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn is one of the most popular detectives of the mystery genre. Colour Scheme found him far from home on a wartime quest for German agents and called upon to investigate the death of Maurice Questing, who was lured to his doom in a pool of boiling mud. This technically flawless, unabridged, seven cassette audiobook production is superbly narrated by Nadia May and a "must" for all Nagio Marsh fans.

I've come back to this gem at least four times -- though another reviewer says explicitly that he would not be back.

My reasons for returning?

First, the land. New Zealand is a character here, and it's delineated by Marsh with the kinds of detail that made travelogues interesting, back before television showed us everywhere all at once. The light, the flora, the geology... it's all like a Turner watercolor, fascinating light plays and landscapes, where the weather and warmth is pervasive.

Second, there is the humor. There are fascinating caricatures of the British 'high-toned' expatriate family in straightened means, the self-centered movie star of the 1940s, the Callow Youth (all provincial slang, worn like a flashy shirt), the Crass Businessman. Seeing much of the interplay through Dikon's down-to-earth eyes -- acting as the chorus of the play, observing and summarizing -- makes it even funnier.

The land between the Maoris and the Claires is one that you'll remember. It's as sinister as Conan Doyle's moor in Hound of the Baskervilles and equally bathed in wrenching sights and sounds.

And everything moves in and out of surrealism: a real train bears down on a fantastic landscape, Gaunt's posturing suddenly gives way to a moment of genuine generosity (or is it?), walkers fearfully pick their way along paths through dangerous hot springs... It's fun to see Barbara emerge as enticing despite her continuous mugging and 'attitudes'... doubtless derived from the kinds of movies that Gaunt makes...

A final thought: while Colour Scheme is among Marsh's best, it probably is not the best choice for a first sampling of Roderick Alleyn at work. Light Thickens would be my candidate for that -- among the last of Marsh's mysteries, it beautifully melds human motivations and actions with the theater (and within that, one of theater's most theatric of plays, Macbeth).

But, as a kind of side-note into Alleyn's life, and a commentary on World War II in the South Pacific, and a grouping of often hilarious caricatures, Colour Scheme is a worthy read.

This book is an excellent and readable memoir that anybody with an interest in the Falklands War, or in the Royal Marines, would be well advised to read. It is an easy read, but this doesn't detract from the fact that it is a serious piece of work that will hopefully have enduring value.

A previous reviewer describes the book as "boast and brag" and "accusations and self defence". Any member of the British defence community will tell you that the words "boast and brag" and Major-General Thompson are entirely incompatible. You will find no self-justification here and a refreshing lack of inflated ego.

I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. The author was frank in his criticisms and flowing in his praise. I thought the descriptions of the tactical battles from the brigade commander's perspective were fascinating. The diagrams of 3 Commando Brigade's major battles were invaluable in digesting the detailed narrative and fully appreciating the enormity of the Brigade's mission. The professionalism and proficiency of this storied unit is given it's just due on these 159 pages. I think the true legacy of this text for me was how it has ignited a curiousity in me to read more about The Battle of the Falklands. Would like to know if there is a companion book out there from the Argentine infantryman's perspective that would shed some light on their actions.

Julian Thompson's NO PICNIC is an easy to read yet informative account of the 1982 Falklands War. Julian Thompson commanded the 3rd Commando Brigade, the initial assault force, during the Falklands War. From that perspective, he provides a history of the war. Unsurprisingly, the book focuses on the ground aspects, rather than the sea or air aspects of the war. All of the major ground battles are described. Moreover, Thompson gives in-depth insight into the operational level decisionmaking of the war. The book has a scholarly flavor because of Thompson's access to his own correspondence, assessments, and operational reports. In general, NO PICNIC is an instructive account of ground operations in modern warfare.

Well, half of it is boast and brag, accusations and self-defense. When successfully ignoring that one may learn something :) ... I strongly recommend to read Admiral Sandy Woodward's 'One-hundered Days - The Memories of the Falkland Battlegroup Commander' - best before reading this book because the sea-action preceeded the land-action and the abilities of the ships defined possible and impossible approaches.

Professor Taylor in this book presents a pretty thorough history of East Timor. He lays emphasis on the development of its indiginous culture particularly the kinship system which helped it survive Portugese rule and the barbaric Indonesian occupation. He examines the efforts of foreign powers particularly the United States and Australia and even Portugal (at least until the early 80's) to support Indonesia taking over East Timor, the United States taking the lead in replenishing Indonesia with advanced weapons when it ran into trouble as before its "encirclement and annihilation" campaigns of the late 70's.

He examines the East Timorese indigenous culture including the kinship system which is deeply ingrained in the society and helped it survive Portugese rule and (just barely) Indonesian rule; up until 1990 the major Indonesian military campaigns (Persuatan, the dreadful Fence of Legs, etc.), the World Bank funded forced sterilization of Timorese women, some of the major massacres, the ideology of Fretilin, the "resettlement villages," the economic activities of companies like P.T. Denok in East Timor, the visits of foreign journalists and delegations of politicians, the apologetics for the Indonesian regime by the Catholic Relief services.

I think that his rather long introduction about the September 1999 incident and the chronicles of events during the 90's in the timeline at the end of the book serve as more than adequate updates. However I think he is rather too soft on the role (or lack there of) of the Western powers during the 1999 crises. Those countries continued to have normal military and diplomatic relations with Indonesia up until about two weeks into the crises when East Timor was basically destroyed and its population driven from their homes, when they finally engaged in minimally serious gestures, temporarily suspendeding military relations with Indonesia and agreed to a peackeeping force which was probably not needed under the pressure of Australian public opinion. Very little effort was made to conduct war crimes trials or investigations or help the country seriously rebuild from the years of destruction and occupation which America and its allies were in large part responsible for. There's alot more that can be said about this but the criticisms of Indonesia by U.S. leaders in the months leading up to the crises which Taylor lays great stress on are completely worthless.

In anycase a minor flaw; this is a very good introduction to East Timor, if slightly dry here and there with small print.

John Taylor simply sets the standard, with this new and comprehensive text, on a subject in which he has long been an authority. The book is tremendously comprehensive, approaching a variety of issues relating to East Timor's past and recent history as well as the present. It offers analyses, always well substantiated, and without giving excessive space to the author's own subjective views. It is well written and easy-to-read. All in all, it is a book that should be read by anyone studying this topic, whether a beginner or expert.

John Taylor's enlightening ideas about the East Timorese problem goes deep on its roots. Starting with the SANTA CRUZ MASSACRE and its aftermath (which made international headlines out of the horror during the Indonesian occupation), the author takes care of many interesting details about the country, since its pre-colonial history to its most recent facts. There are two remarkable points raised by Taylor: (i) the explanation of the Timorese society before the Portuguese arrival and how it is linked to the country's contemporary history, (ii) how and why the East Timorese resistance managed to grow continously over the past 25 years, becoming very representative of the country's wish for self determination, and, even better, why the same did not happen during the Portuguese ruling. In very well versed 13 chapters of the book (198 pages and a nice cronology of the main facts since April 25th '74 to Sep 28th '99, a small glossary and a very helpful bibliography) the author tries to cover various aspects of the problem which goes from International policies (as the Realism theory), including strategies, economics and politics to the role played by the church on the development and growing of opposition. It is a great book for either researchers on this subject matter or people interested on going beyond what the midia allows us to go.

Readers should be aware that this book was published in 1991, with a different title, "Indonesia's Forgotten War: The Hidden History of East Timor". The only differences are an updated chronology and one new chapter about recents events since 1998. The 1990s are not carefully treated.

The book is basicly a game. In this case, a game that insists that one go through is insufficient. Another nice thing about this book is that it is its own story with a basis in the Lone Wolf series, but challeneges you in a different way. All in all, it was fun.

If you want to get this book (which is a good idea if you like fantasy), be sure to get the other 3 books! Very adventurous and fun.

The "World of Lone Wolf" series was, without doubt, the most enjoyable role-playing gamebook series I ever played.

The combat/survival system is similar to that employed by the Lone Wolf series, but with the added concept of "willpower" points, (which represent, essentially, Grey Star's magic resources). The player selects five of seven magical powers to use before starting the adventure.

The series is lavishly illustrated by Paul Bonner's artwork, and each volume contains a colour map of South Magnamund.

I was quite young when I played these adventures, and I would wait breathlessly and impatiently for each new volume to come out. The world which Ian Page and Joe Dever create is romantic and captivating. All the magic creatures in the story are unique to the world of Magnamund - no elves or dragons - which adds the special feeling of the books.

Grey Star always has companions in his adventures - giants, theives, ape-men (sorry, Kundi), but the most notable is the wytch girl, Tanith, who continues throughout the whole series.

A wonderfully new exotic atmosphere greets the reader in the 1st book of the Grey Star series.

Set in the world of Southern Magnamund, a world away from the adventures of the hero Lone Wolf, whose series has won numerous awards and encompasses three mini-series as well as off-shoots, Grey Star the Wizard begins with Grey Star sailing from the Isle of Lorn, where his mentors, the Shianti wizards, have self-exiled themselves. Many years ago the Shianti created a magical artefact called the Moonstone, but this relic disrupted the balance of the world of Magnamund, and the Shianti were forced to seal it into a Trianon in the plane of Daziarn as well as remain forever on the Isle of Lorn.

Some time later, a great wizard called Shasarak rose to power. Aided by the Shadakine, great warriors from the Sadai Desert, Shasarak brutally destroyed all major nations of Southern Magnamund, creating a vast empire. The Shianti watched with fear as Shasarak grew in power, and someday the fates have promised that the evil tyrant will cross the Sea of Dreams to the Isle of Lorn and fight with the Shianti for total domination once and for all...

Aided by seven sisters, the Shadakine Wytches, who possess mastery of animal language, evil magic, and the Kazim Stones, magical hearts of creatures of stone, Shasarak also mastered vast legions of daemons and spirits, and has ruthlessly persecuted the pilgrims of the Shianti and other religions. Once, long ago, Shasarak had control of a wondrous but terrible artefact called the Sunstone, a gem that had the power of the sun, but its abuse led to the destruction of an entire civilization...with power like that the Wytch-King has all of the human nations in his iron grip.

The Shianti, unable to help, prayed for assistance. And on the stormy night when Shasarak was crowned King of the Shadakine Empire, a ship ran aground. Nobody remained alive, save a small child, which the Shianti named Grey Star, for the streak of grey in the child's hair. The Shianti cannot help mankind, but Grey Star, being human, can..

This is a great true story about a 17-year-old English kid who becomes an Australian cowboy, horse breaker, buffalo and croc hunter, etc. in the 1920s and 30s. Those guys lived a hard life that made our early west trail drivers look like sissies. He was born in 1906 so is probably gone by now. Although my name is the same you can bet it wasn't me.

It is pleasing that one can still escape to different times and different settings to the environment we city dwellers live in today. Tom Cole gives us a no nonsense insight into a remarkable life of buffalo and crocodile hunting.

Tom Cole reveals the Northern Territory of Australia in all its untamed and raw delights. Amazingly we had barely encroached on this area just 50 years ago, a fact he bears witness to. He passed away just a few years ago, but left us several good books before he departed. This one relates the story of his life as a stockman (cowboy) and croc hunter, of the people & cattle stations which began to spread across the territory, and attests to the difficulty in establishing their viability.

Tom Cole was a larger than life true blue Australian adventurer--crocodile hunter, horse-breaker,buffalo-shooter,ranch manager and explorer.His autobiography is written with great humor.It is set in the last true frontier--the Australian outback.A marvellous book.