Wesley Chu's Time Salvager

Time travel, like evil mustache mirror universes and megalomaniac robots, is a pretty common thing in science fiction. In pretty much a sci-fi franchise, they will eventually get around to a time travel episode. Cliché as it can be, a well done time-travel story can have some very interesting and powerful points in terms of history, culture, and societal perceptions. Wesley Chu's Time Salvager touches on all these factors and tells an excellent story.

Set in the resource strapped 26^th century, we follow James Griffin-Mars, highly trained ChronoCom operative that is quickly approaching the projected life expectancy in his field, time travel. The future James is in has slowly been collapsing, Earth is polluted beyond recognition, they have forgotten many technological advances and while humanity has colonized many planets and stars in the solar system, they are constantly low on resources.  James is sent back in time to moments before disasters to retrieve resources; metals, technology, food, even trees. Yet, since his missions occur right before disasters, James is constantly witnessing people die and the justifications that they were already doomed are wearing thin on James’ stressed mind. Finally, on a very high-profile mission, James snaps and breaks the first law of ChronoCom and brings back Elise, a scientist from the 21^st century. Now, he has is on the run from both ChronoCom and the corporation that bankrolled his mission.

Time Salvager takes a little on the set up and the very obvious set up for a sequel are slightly frustrating. But Chu’s vision of a declined humanity and pollution choked earth hits close to home. He also does a wonderful job with his main characters. James is highly skilled at what he does but is also a convicted criminal and a very flawed character with impulse control, a drinking problem, and exceptionally fuzzy ethics. But he acts as a wonderful foil to the unrelenting optimism of Elise and Chu does an amazing job of telling both sides of the story from each characters perspective. I will admit that I was annoyed to end the book with the realization I would have to wait until a sequel to completely resolve all plot points, I am certainly going to grab that sequel as soon as it comes out. 

On a side note: the cover design and artwork for Time Salvager is simply excellent and does a wonderful job of capturing the feel of the novel.

Debut Novels

Books by new authors are always exciting for me.  Before I read a debut novel, I wonder if this author will become the next best-selling author or if this book will lead to a fantastic series that I can't put down. Occasionally I come across a debut novel that does not live up to the hype surrounding it. The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips was one of those novels. I tried very hard to read it, but after the tenth time of hearing the 'Person with Bad Breath' repeated when Josephine talked to her boss I decided not to finish it. Actually it may have been the bathroom scene that was my breaking point. Normally I read the book from cover to cover good or bad, but this was one I just said, "No more!". I'm sure there is reasoning behind not giving the person a name or even a gender and choosing to just refer to them as the 'Person with Bad Breath', however this just left (pardon the expression) a bad taste in my mouth. The reviews were very good for this book, but I had to get past the first 20 pages, and quite frankly I have lots of books to read and this one was just not worth my time. 

Here are a few debut novels I read recently and enjoyed a great deal. 

The Courtesan: A Novel by Alexandra Curry
A timeless novel based on Sai Jinhua a woman who is a legend in Chinese history. This novel bridges the tumultuous gap between East and West. 

Bream Gives Me Hiccups: and Other Stories by Jesse Eisenberg  
This debut story collection is witty and laugh-out-loud funny. If you enjoy listening to comedians you will love this book.

The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young
A southern Gothic mystery novel that combines literary suspense, and romance with a mystical twist. This is a fast-paced suspenseful thriller. 

The Girl From the Garden by Parnaz Foroutan
This suspenseful novel of desire, obsession, power and vulnerability paints a powerful portrait of an extended family in Iran. 

Everybody Rise: A Novel by Stephanie Clifford
Bracing, hilarious and often poignant, this debut novel shows us what happens when money and class collide. 

Where the Moon Isn't by Nathan Filer
This is a debut novel you won't want to put down. While on vacation, Matthew Homes and his older brother sneak out in the middle of the night. Only Matthew returns home safely. This is Matthew's story and his attempt to make sense of what happened that night so long ago. Drama, intrigue and humanity fill this book with amazing authenticity. It is absolutely wonderful.

Mary Renault: Bringing Ancient Greece to Life

September 4th was the 110th birthday of historical novelist Mary Renault.  She was born in Forest Gate, England in 1905 and studied at Oxford.  J.R.R Tolkien was one of her tutors! She is best known for her novels of Ancient Greece.  Even her critics credit her with bringing Ancient Greece alive with vivid characters and thorough accuracy and historical detail.  She was enormously successful then and even more than forty years later she remains the standard by which all other novels of Alexander the Great are judged.  And another interesting fact:  President John F. Kennedy stated that she was his favorite author.

Try some of her great novels:

The Last of the Wine--the story of an Athenian during the Peloponnesian War, includes Socrates' death; a good place to begin the study of Plato.

The King Must Die--the adventures of Theseus of Athens, up to the death of the king, his father.

The Bull from the Sea--a sequel to The King Must Die, detailing the rest of Theseus' life and adventures.

The Mask of Apollo--a Greek actor narrates the story of Greek drama (including Plato, Dionysus the Younger, and Alexander).

Fire from Heaven--the boyhood through adolescence of Alexander the Great.

The Persian Boy--Alexander after he had conquered Persia, as seen through the eyes of his young eunuch.

The Praise Singer--a pseudo-autobiography of the lyric poet Simonides at a time when the oral tradition was being replaced by the written word.

Funeral Games--the in-fighting of Alexander's several successors after his death.

If you’ve already read all of Renault's books then try some of these other notable historical authors:

Gillian Bradshaw--Dark North (Roman Britain, 208 AD) and London in Chains (English Civil War).

Elizabeth Chadwick--The Greatest Knight (William Marshall) and Summer Queen (Eleanor of Aquitaine).

Dorothy Dunnett--Game of Kings (1st in Lymond Chronicles, 1547 Scotland) and Niccolo Rising (1st in House of Niccolo series, 1460 Bruges).

Diana Gabaldon--Outlander (1st in epic series set in 18th century Scotland).

Philippa Gregory--The Constant Princess (early life of Katherine of Aragon) and The White Queen (Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV in 15th century).

Cecelia Holland--The King's Witch (Richard the Lionheart and a mysterious healer).

David Malouf--Ransom (Achilles and Priam).

Steven Pressfield--The Afghan Kingdoms (invasions by Alexander the Great in 330 BC) and Last of the Amazons (epic story of the Amazons).

Judith Tarr--Pillar of Fire (Ancient Egypt through the eyes of a slave) and White Mare's Daughter (clash between tribes in Prehistoric Europe).

2015 Audie Award Winners

Here are the best audio books of 2015 according to Audio Publishers Associations Audies Awards. I am going to highlight a few of my favorite winners of this distinguished award.

Audio Book of the Year goes to Mandela: An Audio History it was written by Nelson Mandela and is narrated by Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tuto and Joe Richman. This truly amazing documentary tells the story of Apartheid in addition to Nelson Mandela's life story. You will hear Nelson answer tough questions and learn why he decided to stand against apartheid even though this meant he would be imprisoned for treason. It includes the radio broadcast of his 1964 trial which led to his conviction. This book is a well written and well-read documentary that will make you feel like you are a part of historic moments in South Africa's history.

One of my favorite authors, especially when I choose to listen to an audiobook is Neil Gaiman.  Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book has earned three Audie Awards. One award for The Best Children's Titles for Ages 8-12, the second award is for Distinguished Achievement in Production and the third is for Multi-Voiced Performance. This is the first book that Neil allowed others to narrate. I personally love listening to Neil Gaiman read his stories but it was fantastic to listen as a full cast of narrators brought this story to life.  If you have listened to The Graveyard Book before, you will not want to miss this new version.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr won the Audies Award for Fiction. The narrator, Zach Appelman, brings this wonderful story to life.  This novel goes beyond ordinary as it describes what it may have been like during Hitler's reign for those who chose to join Hitler's ranks. Ordinary children who were selected to be German soldiers life was fraught with fear. The German hierarchy led by being bullies and making regular citizens afraid to stand up for their friends and neighbors. Werner was an ordinary boy who had an extraordinary gift. Marie-Laurie was a child who at the age of 6 lost her vision.  As the stories of Werner and Marie-Laurie merge one hopes that everyone will have the courage these two showed.  This is a beautifully written, wonderfully narrated, heart wrenching story that will make you want to stay where ever you are until the story reaches its final conclusion.

Brandon Sanderson took the Fantasy Audies Award with his book, The Words of Radiance. This is the second book in the Storm Light Archive, which is a fantastic series.  If you have not read The Way of Kings carve out some time and read it before you begin this one. It is worth every minute. Narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading share the work in this character driven novel. Kramer's and Reading's portrayals help readers follow the intertwined plot lines of this epic fantasy novel. They transport readers into the world of Roshar bringing the world's past and present together. 

The Audie Award for Humor goes to Yes Please! by Amy Poehler. Poehler's memoir is full of charm and life lessons but what's really fun is how out of the box this audiobook production is. Listeners will enjoy Poehler's 'audio booth' at the base of Mt. Rushmore where many of her friends come to visit. Poehler is warm, funny and you'll hear her as she converses with her friends Seth Meyers, and Mike Schur. It's like overhearing their private conversation. Add in cameos from Carol Burnett, Kathleen Turner and Patrick Stewart and the cast of narrators make this comedic memoir an audiobook that should not be missed.

September's In the Queue

September's In the Queue is filled with fantastic novels from Best Selling authors and two new debut novelists. As well as many other books from authors you know and love.

So sit back, relax and get In the Queue.

Fiction
The Heart Goes Last: A Novel by Margaret Atwood
This dystopian love story has flawed adults as the protagonists.  Stan and Charmaine are homeless and without jobs. They've heard of a city, Consilience where everyone has work and a home you just have to join the Positron Project. They apply and are accepted into the program. They soon realize that their good fortune may not be as good as they hoped. If they make a mistake it may cost them their lives.

Dishing the Dirt by M.C. Beaton
Agatha Raisin loses her temper when a newcomer tries to steal her ex-husband. When the newcomer dies Agatha becomes the prime suspect.

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
Hours before her daughter's wedding a fatal tragedy occurs, which leaves June Reid utterly alone. This mesmerizing debut novel shows how people can make the unbearable bearable and shows that a glimmer of light might be all you need when your world turns dark.

A Song of Shadows: A Charlie Parker Thriller by John Connolly
Charlie Parker puts his life on the line for a widowed mother with dangerous secrets.

The Hidden by Heather Graham
An exciting page-turner that brings past and present together in an unexpected way. Is it possible for a killer to strike again a hundred and fifty years later? Scarlet Barlowe stumbles across a murder scene that is reminiscent of one that took place more than a century ago. When strange things begin happening and she is suspected of murder she calls her ex-husband, FBI Agent Diego McCullough to come to her rescue. This new book in the Krewe Hunter series is one readers will love!

Corridors of the Night  by Anne Perry
Hester Monk must be rescued after she uncovers a nefarious plot to experiment on impoverished children.

Pretty Girls: A  Novel by Karen Slaughter
This chilling psychological thriller begins when Claire Scott's millionaire husband is found stabbed. When her home is burglarized during the funeral and FBI agents begin asking questions. She calls on Lydia, her estranged sister for help. Can the sisters handle the truth that is revealed?

The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young
A darkly haunting debut novel which is a Gothic novel intertwined with a classic chilling whodunit. Charlie Cates finds herself embroiled in a 30-year-old missing child case. As she unravels the truth, evil closes in around her.

New Books by Best Selling Authors

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks
The End Game by Catherine Coulter
The Scam by Janet Evanovich
The Survivor by Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills
A Banquet of Consequences: A Linley Novel by Elizabeth George
Playing With Fire: A Novel by Tess Gerritsen
Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham
Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand
Shadow Play: An Eve Duncan Novel by Iris Johansen
After You by Jo Jo Moyes
Saturn Run: A Novel of 2066 by John Sandford
Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline
All The Stars In Heavens : A Novel by Adriana Trigiani
Foreign Affairs by Stuart Woods

Non-Fiction

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray, Love encourages readers to focus their life fulfilling their curiosity rather than hiding from their fears. This insightful self-help book will inspire readers to reach for their dreams. 

Unlikeable: The Problem with Hilary by Edward Klein
Edward Klein, who takes a hard line with politicians now asks the question,  "Why is Hilary so unlikeable?"

Bill O'Reilly: Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly
This captivating account of President Reagan's career tells the vivid story of his rise to power and the forces that conspired to bring him down.

A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan

Dragons are a staple in fantasy, they are powerful, destroyers, companions and enemies. Occasionally they talks and are frequently mysterious, but rarely are they ever looked at and analyzed in a scientific manner. A Natural History of Dragons takes this old standby and tells an altogether different and engaging story.

We follow the early events of Isabella, or more formally known as Lady Trent, life and rise to one of the preeminent dragon naturalist. Told in in memoir form we learn of Isabella as young girl growing up in the Scirland countryside, a country remarkably similar to Victorian England. She is given little opportunity for science in general and no opportunity to study the little developed field of dragon naturalism. But she manages persevere, acquiring the a copy of the single authoritarian text on dragons, has a chance encounter with one, finds a scholarly husband, and embarks on an expedition to Vystrana to study the local rock wyrms, who are noted for being relatively calm  The expedition is full of smugglers, superstitious locals, ancient ruins, and mysterious and characteristic dragon attacks. Isabella must use all her intelligence and courage to determine what exactly is causing the dragons to attack.

The start seemed to plod along at times, even with the consideration that it was needed to establish Isabella’s background and motivations. It seems especially slow in comparison to the concluding flurry of action. However, Brennan does a remarkable job mixing memoir, fantasy dragons, and naturalism, all with a good dose of who-dunnit.