Mini-Reviews of Books #24…
Our Revolution. Bernie Sanders, author (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s, 2016). Thank goodness for Christmas gifts. The price on the flyleaf for this hardbound is $27! Not Bernie’s fault, of course. If you don’t know it already, Bernie Sanders is one of my heroes, right up there with Kurt Vonnegut. I identified with this man and his campaign—probably the first time since McGovern—and now I know why. His background is similar and his views are similar. Mind you, I don’t agree with him 100%, but the percentage is higher than with any living politician.
This book is a post mortem of his campaign and an introspective look at a great progressive. His ideas need to continue into new generations to give hope to the downtrodden. As he states, the progressive movement isn’t about one candidate or one campaign. It must build from the ground up so that America can return to being the shining star of freedom in this world that has become so dark in its move toward fascism, exploitation by multinationals, and enriching the one-percenters. Every progressive who deserves the name should read this, absorb the ideas, and act. Yearn for the Bern.
Poisoned Palette. Jill Paterson, author (J. Henderson, 2017). Not a bad little mystery, emphasis on “little,” as DCI Fitzjohn and DS Betts solve another one in the Blue Hills region two hours from Sydney. But wasn’t the last one in this series about an art shop too? (This is #6 in the series.) OK, it was a literary agency. Similar. The downhill slide noted in Mini-Reviews #18 continues. The twists and turns in earlier books are fewer and the story more predictable. The 172 pages relies too much on the previous books for character development—the MCs aren’t further developed here, the feud between Fitzjohn and his boss becomes more of a stretch, and the romance between a victim/suspect and a visiting American is left as a cliffhanger.
Maybe the author is tired of old Fitzjohn and should have taken the opportunity to end the series with the old boy retiring to babysit his orchids? The rush to end this story hints at a yes answer. Editing errors, noted in previous books, also continue, although the author seems to be more into dropped words now (I can fill something in, but I don’t know about the average reader, and s/he shouldn’t have to do so). The $3.99 price seems to be a bit much too, considering this is more novella than novel. If you’re new to this series, don’t start with this one—numbers one through three are better fare.
***
Silicon Slummin’…and Just Gettin’ By. The Silicon Valley hasn’t seen anyone like Mary Jo Melendez, ex-USN Master-at-Arms, and she’s not sure she wants to stay there either. Readers met the MECHs (Mechanically Enhanced Cybernetic Humans) in Muddlin’ Through. Russia and the U.S. still want them and think Mary Jo knows where they are. But they have to compete with Mary Jo’s stalker. Unlike the first book in the series, this one doesn’t travel around the world, but the dangers for her might be worse. This mystery/suspense/thriller novel is available in all ebook formats.
In libris libertas!
