There have been many days when I have bewailed the brand of evil stupidity brandished by Rupert Murdoch. The degree of his arrogance and hubris, which has allowed him to be a public purveyor of out-right lies as well as giving safe harbour to others who have no education (ie. Palin, Bachman, Beck. etc.), has been more than any mere thorn in the side. It has, in fact, compromised the very commonweal of this country.
The claim that Faux (err, Fixed) (err, Fox) News was " fair and balanced" was a lie from the very first. He gave "myth" a bad rap. One only had to take the cotton stuffing from his ears to realize this.
Finally, after the blow up in Great Britain, we are now finally investigating the immoral, illegal, and unethical practices of this bully from Australia.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
52 In 52 Challenge: 26 Weeks Gone: 92 Books Read!!!!!
Well, a half-year has rapidly finished; and, since I have been reading at lightning speed (92 BOOKS!!!!), it seems that it might be a good thing to bring my readers up-to-date now on what I've read and what I've thought of it.
ARCHEOLOGICAL THRILLERS
Adams, W.: The Eden Legacy(4)*** (N.B. has absolutely Nothing to do with Biblical archaeology)
Byrnes, M.: The Sacred Blood(2)**+
Byrnes, M.: The Sacred Bones(1)**+
AUSTENALIA: Sequels; Prequels; Variations
Adriani, S.: Affinity and Affection**++(N.B. fairly good variation; too erotic for a teen-ager)
Aidan, P.: An Assembly Such as This(1)***++
Aidan, P.: Duty and Desire(2)***++
Aidan, P.: These Three Remain(3)***++
Altman, M.: Mr. Darcy's Great Escape(3)***
Altman, M.: The Ballad of Gregoire Darcy(4)***+
Altman, M.: the Darcys and the Bingleys(1)***
Altman, M.: The Plight of the Darcy Brothers(2)***
Angell, L.: The Sheik of Araby**+
Aston, E.: Mr. Darcy's Dream** (N.B. a green-house!!!! Gah!)
Austen, J. & Nazarian, V.: Mansfield Park and Mummies***
Austen, J. & Nazarian, V.: Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons***++ (N.B. delightfully diverting!)
Bader, T. & Bader, M.: Desire and Duty*+ (N.B. the authors bring in a type of "are you saved" religiosity which is very painful, although I realize that Methodism was gaining at this time, Austen herself was not interested in this; other parts of the story are very nice)
Baxley, M.K.: The Cumberland Plateau(1)***?
Baxley, M.K.: The Mistress's Black Veil*** (N.B. erotica was very understated, which I liked; another what-if Mr. Bennet had died)
Bonavia-Hunt, DA: Pemberley Shades*** (N.B. first published in 1949; this was the 2nd Austen sequel ever written)
Brocklehurst, J.: Darcy and Anne***
Childers, C.: Twilight of the Abyss**+ (N.B. a long novella)
Cole, B.T.: White Lies & Other Half Truths**+ (NB: many copy editing errors, which is a usual problem with many self-published books; story actually is fun)
Cox, K.M.: 1932**++
Croft, J. Marie: Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge** (N.B. I really was annoyed with the word play (alliterations and puns) that are on nearly every page of this novel.)
Elyot, A.: By a Lady***+ (N.B. time-travel & Bath in the Regency with our own JA as a character)
Ford, M.T.: Jane Goes Batty(2)***++
Granger, A.: Captain Wentworth's Diary**+
Hamilton, M.: Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman***
Kaye, S.: For You Alone: Frederick Wentworth, Captain, Book 2*** (N.B. I would have done the ending differently)
Kaye, S.: None But You: Frederick Wentworth, Captain, Book 1***
Lilian, L.: Rainy Days***
Lilian, L.: Remembrance of the Past***
Louise, K.: Only Mr. Darcy Will Do***++
Nelson, KL: Pemberley Manor***
O'Brien, S.: Blame It On The Tea** (NB: copy editing was almost non-existent; author really needs help for her ending)
Oakland, R.P.: My BFF (a friendly romance)***
Odiwe, J.: Mr. Darcy's Secret***+
Reynolds, A.: A Pemberley Medley*** (NB: 5 short stories)
Reynolds, A.: From Lambton to Longbourn**++
Reynolds, A.: Morning Light**+ (N.B. I don't know why she makes her modern heroines so neurotic (grr); however, it does get on my nerves. I think this is actual a half-n-half book: half a continuation of Pemberley By the Sea and half a new story. I really cannot see Persuasion in the new story.)
Reynolds, A.: To Conquer Mr. Darcy**+(N.B. previous title Impulse & Initiative -- this was a re-read for me -- I don't know why the publisher changed the title, as the new one is not as good as the first in my opinion)
Sanchez, L.: A Noteworthy Courtship***
Saunders, K.: A Modern Day Persuasion**++ (N.B. I really really disliked the occasional (about 5 or 6) short sops to "conservative" Xians -- all could have been removed painlessly!)
Simonsen, M.: For All the Wrong Reasons**+ (novella)
Simonsen, M.L.: A Wife for Mr. Darcy***
Simonsen, M.L.: Mr. Darcy's Angel of Mercy: A Romance of The Great War**++(N.B. short novella -- I don't think I am a real fan of this genre as I felt there could have been a very interesting novel here)
Simonsen, ML: The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy***+
Ward, Eucharista, OSF: A Match for Mary Bennet***+
Wasylowski, KV: Darcy and Fitzwilliam***+
Webb, B.J.: Fitzwilliam Darcy, An Honourable Man***(N.B. a different variation)
Wegner, O.: Moonlighting**+(N.B. P&P and werewolves; Lizzy is NOT blonde!; author has Lizzy and Jane acting like blondes, though L does recover; so much more could have been done)
Wells, L.: Chance Encounters**+ (N.B. I believe that there is too much explicit erotica in this variation
Wells, L.: Fate & Consequences** (N.B. too erotic)
Wells, L.: Perfect Fit*** (N.B. modern with erotic elements; I did like some of the characterization changes for some of the minor characters)
Whelchel, L.: Rocks in the Stream***
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: Ancient Greece
Corby, G.: The Pericles Commission(1)***+
Pressfield, S.: Last of the Amazons***++
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: Ancient Rome
Downie, R.: Caveat Emptor(4)****
Downie, R.: Persona Non Grata(3)****
Downie, R.: Terra Incognita(2)****
Saylor, S.: Roman Blood(1)****(N.B. 1st volume of the Roma Sub Rosa series)
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: 18th Century
James, E.: When the Duke Returns***
Norman, D.: A Catch of Consequence***+(1) [N.B. author also writes under the name Ariana Franklin (Mistress of the Art of Death series); I think that the title here is quite ironic and the heroine (Makepeace Burke) is a very different kind of woman]
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: Regency Period
Jeffers, R.: The Scandal of Lady Eleanor(1)*** (N.B. the first in a new series by the author of many Austenesques)
Kelly, C.: The Admiral's Penniless Bride**+(N.B. this is the first Harlequin Historical that I've read, nice light read)
MYSTERIES / THRILLERS
Alpert M.:The Final Theory(1)***+
Alpert, M.: The Omega Theory(2)***+ (N.B. the what-if in these 2 novels concerns the possibility that Einstein actually DID complete the Unified Field Theory)
Berry, J.: The Jefferson Key***
Cussler, C.: The Kingdom(3)***(Fargo Adventure)
Gruber, M.: Night of the Jaguar(3)*****
Gruber, M.: The Book of Air and Shadows****
Gruber, M.: The Forgery of Venus****
Gruber, M.: The Good Son****+
Gruber, M.: Tropic of Night(1)*****(N.B. 1st volume of a trilogy of mysteries)
Gruber, M.: Valley of Bones(2)*****
Khoury, R.: The Sign***
Koontz, D.: Your Heart Belongs to Me**++ (N.B. better than many of his extreme black vs white novels and the psychopaths which haunt them)
Rollins, J.: The Devil Colony (Sigma Force)***
SCIENCE FICTION/ STEAMPUNK/ VAMPIRES/ FANTASY / ETC.
Carriger, G.: Blameless(3)***+
Carriger, G.: Changeless(2)***
Carriger, G.: Soulless(1)***++
Fahy, W.: Fragment*** (N.B. genre of lost continents)
Farnsworth, C.: The President's Vampire(2)**? (N.B not as good as the first; however, there were a few moments...)
Hallaway, T.: Dead If I Do(4)**+
Hallaway, T.: Dead Sexy(2)**+
Hallaway, T.: Honeymoon of the Dead(5)**+ (N.B. author states that this is the last for this series; however, I find that there can still be more stories "conjured:" still don't think Sebastian should use slang)
Hallaway, T.: Romancing the Dead(3)**+
Hallaway, T.: Tall, Dark & Dead**+(1) (N.B. a lot of fun; however, it is terribly flawed)
Harkness, D.: A Discovery of Witches(1)**** (NB: Wicca and the so-called Triple Goddess are MODERN -- this is the only quibble I have with the book)
Harris, C.: Dead Reckoning***(13)
Kowal, M.R.: Shades of Milk and Honey*** (N.B. how do you categorize a Regency from another universe which allows a person to reach into the strings and ribbons of the universe itself in order to bring "glamour" to the visible?)
Stoker, D. & Holt, I.: Dracula the Undead (The Sequel to the Original Classic)***
ARCHEOLOGICAL THRILLERS
Adams, W.: The Eden Legacy(4)*** (N.B. has absolutely Nothing to do with Biblical archaeology)
Byrnes, M.: The Sacred Blood(2)**+
Byrnes, M.: The Sacred Bones(1)**+
AUSTENALIA: Sequels; Prequels; Variations
Adriani, S.: Affinity and Affection**++(N.B. fairly good variation; too erotic for a teen-ager)
Aidan, P.: An Assembly Such as This(1)***++
Aidan, P.: Duty and Desire(2)***++
Aidan, P.: These Three Remain(3)***++
Altman, M.: Mr. Darcy's Great Escape(3)***
Altman, M.: The Ballad of Gregoire Darcy(4)***+
Altman, M.: the Darcys and the Bingleys(1)***
Altman, M.: The Plight of the Darcy Brothers(2)***
Angell, L.: The Sheik of Araby**+
Aston, E.: Mr. Darcy's Dream** (N.B. a green-house!!!! Gah!)
Austen, J. & Nazarian, V.: Mansfield Park and Mummies***
Austen, J. & Nazarian, V.: Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons***++ (N.B. delightfully diverting!)
Bader, T. & Bader, M.: Desire and Duty*+ (N.B. the authors bring in a type of "are you saved" religiosity which is very painful, although I realize that Methodism was gaining at this time, Austen herself was not interested in this; other parts of the story are very nice)
Baxley, M.K.: The Cumberland Plateau(1)***?
Baxley, M.K.: The Mistress's Black Veil*** (N.B. erotica was very understated, which I liked; another what-if Mr. Bennet had died)
Bonavia-Hunt, DA: Pemberley Shades*** (N.B. first published in 1949; this was the 2nd Austen sequel ever written)
Brocklehurst, J.: Darcy and Anne***
Childers, C.: Twilight of the Abyss**+ (N.B. a long novella)
Cole, B.T.: White Lies & Other Half Truths**+ (NB: many copy editing errors, which is a usual problem with many self-published books; story actually is fun)
Cox, K.M.: 1932**++
Croft, J. Marie: Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge** (N.B. I really was annoyed with the word play (alliterations and puns) that are on nearly every page of this novel.)
Elyot, A.: By a Lady***+ (N.B. time-travel & Bath in the Regency with our own JA as a character)
Ford, M.T.: Jane Goes Batty(2)***++
Granger, A.: Captain Wentworth's Diary**+
Hamilton, M.: Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman***
Kaye, S.: For You Alone: Frederick Wentworth, Captain, Book 2*** (N.B. I would have done the ending differently)
Kaye, S.: None But You: Frederick Wentworth, Captain, Book 1***
Lilian, L.: Rainy Days***
Lilian, L.: Remembrance of the Past***
Louise, K.: Only Mr. Darcy Will Do***++
Nelson, KL: Pemberley Manor***
O'Brien, S.: Blame It On The Tea** (NB: copy editing was almost non-existent; author really needs help for her ending)
Oakland, R.P.: My BFF (a friendly romance)***
Odiwe, J.: Mr. Darcy's Secret***+
Reynolds, A.: A Pemberley Medley*** (NB: 5 short stories)
Reynolds, A.: From Lambton to Longbourn**++
Reynolds, A.: Morning Light**+ (N.B. I don't know why she makes her modern heroines so neurotic (grr); however, it does get on my nerves. I think this is actual a half-n-half book: half a continuation of Pemberley By the Sea and half a new story. I really cannot see Persuasion in the new story.)
Reynolds, A.: To Conquer Mr. Darcy**+(N.B. previous title Impulse & Initiative -- this was a re-read for me -- I don't know why the publisher changed the title, as the new one is not as good as the first in my opinion)
Sanchez, L.: A Noteworthy Courtship***
Saunders, K.: A Modern Day Persuasion**++ (N.B. I really really disliked the occasional (about 5 or 6) short sops to "conservative" Xians -- all could have been removed painlessly!)
Simonsen, M.: For All the Wrong Reasons**+ (novella)
Simonsen, M.L.: A Wife for Mr. Darcy***
Simonsen, M.L.: Mr. Darcy's Angel of Mercy: A Romance of The Great War**++(N.B. short novella -- I don't think I am a real fan of this genre as I felt there could have been a very interesting novel here)
Simonsen, ML: The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy***+
Ward, Eucharista, OSF: A Match for Mary Bennet***+
Wasylowski, KV: Darcy and Fitzwilliam***+
Webb, B.J.: Fitzwilliam Darcy, An Honourable Man***(N.B. a different variation)
Wegner, O.: Moonlighting**+(N.B. P&P and werewolves; Lizzy is NOT blonde!; author has Lizzy and Jane acting like blondes, though L does recover; so much more could have been done)
Wells, L.: Chance Encounters**+ (N.B. I believe that there is too much explicit erotica in this variation
Wells, L.: Fate & Consequences** (N.B. too erotic)
Wells, L.: Perfect Fit*** (N.B. modern with erotic elements; I did like some of the characterization changes for some of the minor characters)
Whelchel, L.: Rocks in the Stream***
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: Ancient Greece
Corby, G.: The Pericles Commission(1)***+
Pressfield, S.: Last of the Amazons***++
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: Ancient Rome
Downie, R.: Caveat Emptor(4)****
Downie, R.: Persona Non Grata(3)****
Downie, R.: Terra Incognita(2)****
Saylor, S.: Roman Blood(1)****(N.B. 1st volume of the Roma Sub Rosa series)
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: 18th Century
James, E.: When the Duke Returns***
Norman, D.: A Catch of Consequence***+(1) [N.B. author also writes under the name Ariana Franklin (Mistress of the Art of Death series); I think that the title here is quite ironic and the heroine (Makepeace Burke) is a very different kind of woman]
MYSTERIES / NOVELS: Regency Period
Jeffers, R.: The Scandal of Lady Eleanor(1)*** (N.B. the first in a new series by the author of many Austenesques)
Kelly, C.: The Admiral's Penniless Bride**+(N.B. this is the first Harlequin Historical that I've read, nice light read)
MYSTERIES / THRILLERS
Alpert M.:The Final Theory(1)***+
Alpert, M.: The Omega Theory(2)***+ (N.B. the what-if in these 2 novels concerns the possibility that Einstein actually DID complete the Unified Field Theory)
Berry, J.: The Jefferson Key***
Cussler, C.: The Kingdom(3)***(Fargo Adventure)
Gruber, M.: Night of the Jaguar(3)*****
Gruber, M.: The Book of Air and Shadows****
Gruber, M.: The Forgery of Venus****
Gruber, M.: The Good Son****+
Gruber, M.: Tropic of Night(1)*****(N.B. 1st volume of a trilogy of mysteries)
Gruber, M.: Valley of Bones(2)*****
Khoury, R.: The Sign***
Koontz, D.: Your Heart Belongs to Me**++ (N.B. better than many of his extreme black vs white novels and the psychopaths which haunt them)
Rollins, J.: The Devil Colony (Sigma Force)***
SCIENCE FICTION/ STEAMPUNK/ VAMPIRES/ FANTASY / ETC.
Carriger, G.: Blameless(3)***+
Carriger, G.: Changeless(2)***
Carriger, G.: Soulless(1)***++
Fahy, W.: Fragment*** (N.B. genre of lost continents)
Farnsworth, C.: The President's Vampire(2)**? (N.B not as good as the first; however, there were a few moments...)
Hallaway, T.: Dead If I Do(4)**+
Hallaway, T.: Dead Sexy(2)**+
Hallaway, T.: Honeymoon of the Dead(5)**+ (N.B. author states that this is the last for this series; however, I find that there can still be more stories "conjured:" still don't think Sebastian should use slang)
Hallaway, T.: Romancing the Dead(3)**+
Hallaway, T.: Tall, Dark & Dead**+(1) (N.B. a lot of fun; however, it is terribly flawed)
Harkness, D.: A Discovery of Witches(1)**** (NB: Wicca and the so-called Triple Goddess are MODERN -- this is the only quibble I have with the book)
Harris, C.: Dead Reckoning***(13)
Kowal, M.R.: Shades of Milk and Honey*** (N.B. how do you categorize a Regency from another universe which allows a person to reach into the strings and ribbons of the universe itself in order to bring "glamour" to the visible?)
Stoker, D. & Holt, I.: Dracula the Undead (The Sequel to the Original Classic)***
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