The Thirteenth Guest - Armitage Trail (Maurice R. Coons)

This author is well known for writing Scarface. I was intrigued once I watched one of the movie versions (apparently there are two, but I watched the one from 1943). It left me with a lot of questions, and I was hoping to get them answered here.

The local district attorney gets a mysterious note to meet at an abandoned mansion. He ends up being delayed, so he feels guilty when he arrives late and finds the body of a young woman in the house. He calls the local detective, Grump, and they're on the case.

The case takes a lot of twists and turns, and the solution is pretty cool. I think it was interesting how "loosely" based the movie was, but I was glad I finally found out who the actual 13th guest was. The book makes a lot more sense than the movie I watched, and I'm not sure why the movie made the decisions it did. On the plus side, I got to read a good book! (I spoiled my verdict!)

I didn't want a physical copy of the book, but I had trouble finding a version for my Kindle. Eventually, I found a site called Coachwhip.com where I was able to download a couple books I couldn't find elsewhere. I also picked up a freebie called King Kobra, which I'm going through with my daughter. We're having some fun with that.

OK, back to the book. I really liked this one. It was easy to read and kept me guessing the whole time. It's something of a diet book, but it says what it needs to say without needless language. I think it's unfortunate the author died at the age of 28. I believe he's a good writer. Maybe sometime in the future I'll get around to reading Scarface. Good Book!

The Crow: Special Edition - James O'Barr

I've been getting interested in more visual types of media. I like the comics/graphic novels, and I enjoyed my first manga. When I heard about The Crow, I really wanted to read it. The series was made out of a place of grief, and I was super interested to see how the author channeled that grief into this graphic novel.

The special edition I had included some content that wasn't included initially. The Crow is a man named Eric. When his fiancé is murdered on the side of the road, he goes on a revenge spree. Sprinkled throughout are memories of Eric's time with Shelly. The drawings are intimate at times, so it's something to keep in mind for when you read it. More for who is around you. 

The story is sad and touching. It's well done, and I was heartbroken by the outcome for Eric and Shelly, and also for the horse. The crow (bird) is an interesting aspect of the story, and I really appreciate the entire package. I was a bit skeptical when I saw The Crow's "look," but it makes sense and grew on me. It's a sad tale, but gets a Good Read! review.

Red Alert - Peter Bryant

This book was on my radar after I learned it was the inspiration for the movie Dr. Strangelove.

The first thing I want to address is the background I learned. The author, Peter George, wrote this in 1958. He was a Welshman, and he wrote under various pen names. The original title of the book was Two Hours to Doom. The thing that shocked me the most was it was written seriously. The movie is so satirical, so I was interested to see what was different. It seems the author wasn't happy about the satirical slant of the film. Eventually he wrote a version dedicated to the filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, and apparently it reflected the tone of the movie.

A dying brigadier general makes a decision that will pretty much end the world. He believes that if he strikes first in the nuclear war, the States will have the upper hand. If they wait any longer, the Soviets are working on something that will make them superior. The general has nuclear bombs at his fingertips, and he sends them out in a way that it seems impossible to bring them back.

Each chapter is dedicated to a specific area: one of the planes carrying a bomb, the base where the general is at, and the Pentagon. Times are also listed, but I didn't really pay attention to those. Most of the time, relevant points in time were marked in the text. There weren't a ton of characters to keep track of, and the writing was easy to follow.

The scariest parts of this book are the plausible parts, which is most of the book. At the time it was written, it was probably even scarier. The author was in the military, and these thoughts plagued him. He wrote other books with this theme, and he eventually took his life in 1966. I'd like to read more of his work in the future. I really liked this book, and I really liked the movie. They are both great in their own way, and I have no issues giving this a Good Book! review.

The Shore Road Mystery (Hardy Boys #6) - Franklin Dixon

The final public domain Hardy Boys for 2024 was redeemed by this little gem.

When Jack and his father are falsely accused of stealing cars, the Hardy Boys are ready to help. Suspicion falls on a former farmhand, and the boys start to investigate. They get their own car and try to trap the real criminals.

I mean, they still rehashed all the previous cases and added more background by telling me about their friends. But! The boys also weren't completely stupid. They did get themselves sneakily "kidnaped" (seriously it was spelled that way multiple times in the version I read), but it was for a purpose. They weren't spotted at first, so they evaluated the situation and decided to get help. It actually wasn't their fault they had issues this time, so I'll give them some credit for that.

We're back to the good stuff with this book. I was getting a bit worried since the last two were questionable. I liked this one. It was quick to read and fun. Good Book!

 

Beyond the Call of Duty - Bernard Fisher

This book covers the life of a man who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War. When a fellow airman went down in a dangerous area, he landed and rescued him.

It feels like the book spends as much time on his Air Force career as it does his family life. While a bit of background information on his life would've been fine, I felt like the military career didn't get the detail I wanted. It was more general information with some specific stories here and there.

I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. Part of that could be due to my expectations, but I just wasn't interested in the amount of faith and family information included. Fisher is definitely a brave man, and I'm glad his story has been preserved. This particular book just wasn't for me.

The Dungeon Democracy - Christopher Burney

Well, I'm back from a trip, so now it's time to get my reviews out. I made it through a few books and a couple movies this time, so let's start with the book I finished last night.

This book is an overview of the author's time in Buchenwald concentration camp. It isn't like the usual memoirs of people's time in a camp, but instead it focuses on the different nationalities and the way they interacted with each other.

It isn't what I expected. It was a sad look into how people in the same situation treated each other. I knew there were instances of cruelty and selfishness, but there were also positives. I read a lot of the political conflicts between the different nations even in such circumstances.

The writing was something of a struggle. The author writes in such a way that I had to pay close attention and re-read sentences to try and understand what he was saying. It was also written so soon after the war that the author didn't know the fates of certain people that had been in power.

Overall, the book was an interesting look into a different aspect of the concentration camp. Normally, it's a look at the way the Nazis treated the prisoners, but reading a book dedicated to the way the prisoners treated each other was definitely interesting. I think one of the things that really stuck with me was when he mentioned how the Nazis had cast them into horror, and they had a chance to show their cause is just and when they're free they can have basic decency and respect human life and liberty. Instead they proved the contrary. That had to be demoralizing for the author, and it was pretty sad as a reader.

I'm glad I read it, but it was a bit hard to get through. The different perspective was worth my time. I would only recommend it for someone who is interested in the internal structure of Buchenwald.

Hunting for Hidden Gold (Hardy Boys #5) - Franklin Dixon

The next Hardy Boys took me to the wilds of Montana to search for gold. A prospector named Jadbury (I'm including his name because I loved it, and he was my favorite character) has his house dislodged by a blizzard, and when the shack falls off a cliff, the boys and their friends are on the scene to save the crusty prospector. They find out he's been to Montana and had his gold stolen by his supposed partner.

The boys are summoned to Montana by their father, and they (eventually) make their way there. After a few run-ins with a gang, they are on the trail of the missing gold. And guess what!? It's the same gold Jadbury was referring to! What are the odds? Spoiler: you're not supposed to ask.

So, when I read the previous book, I was a bit concerned the boys were getting a bit careless. In this book, they are straight ridiculous. These two teenagers run afoul of stranger danger twice in a row! And immediately after getting saved the second time, they get into another stranger's car and comment on how they've learned their lesson. I won't go into the African American portrayal in this book, but it was not good at all.

The Hardy Boys also think they've stepped up their game in the disguise department. How will they ever fool a gang? They decide the best idea is to literally Superman it. By that I mean buy a pair of glasses. I guess they did enhance the outfit by purchasing some large books, but still...Maybe the worst part was that it worked.

I was a bit worried they were going to try and make my man Jadbury a villain, but I needn't have feared. He was safe. I think it's because he stayed in Bayport where the Hardy Boys couldn't continue to "help" him. It's amazing those two were successful at anything in this book and that anyone thought they were smart for the way they went about it. And how do you get trapped in two blizzards?! Learn to pay attention to the weather, guys! This was not a favorite for me, especially since there was no resolution with Jadbury. I wanted to see his reunion with his partner. Oh well...

Beyond the Call of Duty - Isabel George

This book tells the stories of four canine heroes from different eras. For the most part, the stories lead me to other books that are dedicated to the dogs.

First is Smoky from WWII. She's a little Yorkie that meant a great deal to the men around her, especially William Wynne. Wynne later wrote a book called Yorkie Doodle Dandy. The chapter in this particular book was a bit tedious, because there was so much background to the overall war that wasn't really relevant.

Next up is Antis, also from WWII. A Czech soldier takes his dog up into the air. There are two books I found that caught my eye on this one. The first is mentioned in this book, Freedom in the Air by Hamish Ross. Then there's The Dog Who Could Fly by Damien Lewis. I think this was probably my favorite section of the book.

After Antis, I read about Tangye, during the 2000s in Afghanistan. An energetic Labrador, he was important enough that a mission was undertaken by the Nowzad charity to bring him to the UK. The book I feel would pair with this story is by the founder of the charity, Pen Farthing. He's written a few books, but the one I'm referring to is called One Dog at a Time.

Finally, I read about one of the most famous military dogs, Sergeant Stubby from WWI. A lot of books were written about this dog, including one by this author. You can learn a ton about him by reading his obituary from the New York Times. Stubby was a good dog, and while I'm glad they kept his coat, I'm not sure how I feel about displaying his remains. Taxidermy always freaks me out...

Overall, the book is okay. There were some typos here and there, but those didn't bother me much. The writing didn't flow as well as some of the things I've read in the past. The main thing the book accomplished was to make me interested in reading the other books I've mentioned. 

Rather Die Fighting - Frank Blaichman

This book focuses on the important, and often overlooked role, of the Jewish resistance. Frank is not even an adult when the war comes to his town. He ends up in the forest and fighting with others against the Nazis. A key difference is these people went out of their way to make sure they didn't punish the innocent.

This is written in a very easy manner, but it was also incredibly sad. The narrator would mention a person, and most of the time, it was followed up with how they were killed shortly thereafter. The worst were the accidents. On top of that, the people that went through all this don't seem to find peace after the war ends.

I really enjoyed this book. The only criticism I have is the location of the pictures. They include people that haven't been introduced yet, so it was a bit confusing. Other than that, I recommend this book for a different perspective of the Jewish experience during WWII. Good Book!

The Missing Chums (The Hardy Boys #4) - Franklin Dixon

A new year means more public domain Hardy Boys! This one is particularly interesting for a couple of reasons.

First, I loved the recap. "In our first three mysteries..." I can just imagine if they kept this up when we get to book twenty. Half the book would be brief recaps of what the boys already accomplished!

Second, the "chums" are great. Chet and Biff are kidnapped (not why they're great). They are mistaken for the Hardy Boys, but the kidnappers just ignore their pleas. When it comes to escaping, these two aren't the problem.

I hate to say it, but the Hardy Boys actually dropped the ball a bit in this one. First, it took them too long to make the connection that their two friends were missing and the strange ransom note sent to their house. Next, they know their friends are on the island, so why don't they just go straight for help? Instead, they get captured, which is what the kidnappers wanted in the first place. Then they have to escape to do what they should have done in the first place.

Oh well. I did enjoy this one, but not for the Hardy Boys themselves. I was cheering for Chet and Biff! These are always a quick read and fairly entertaining. Good Book!

Berserk - Deluxe Volume 1

This is my first ever manga. I've read comics collections and graphic novels, so I didn't have to make too many adjustments. I just had to get used to doing it all backwards. I chose this particular manga because I am drawn to the Dark Souls universe. Bloodborne is probably my favorite of those video games, and when I found out Berserk was the inspiration for the games, I wanted to check it out.

The deluxe version is very nice, but it's a tome. It's heavy and hard to get in a comfortable position to read. It's also not very good to read in public. There's a parental advisory sticker on the cover, and it earns that sticker on the first page. There is a lot of violence and nudity. A LOT of people are cut in half. If I focus on the story itself, I was interested and wanted to learn more. The cliffhanger at the end was disturbing, and I want to know what happened, but I also don't want to know.

I was invested in the story, but there are two main things that keep it from being five stars for me. Well, I suppose it's one point, but there's two facets to it. To read this whole story, I'd be investing in 14 volumes of Berserk. That's a lot of shelf space. A Kindle version is available, but personally, when it comes to this particular art form, I prefer a physical copy. Also, the really nice, long books aren't cheap. I haven't decided what to do about this series, but the story itself isn't what holds me back. I'm going to give the story itself a Good Book! review, but it's going to take a few days for my back to recover from carrying it around!

The Doom of the Great City - William Delisle Hay

This story is a letter from a man to his family. They've been after him for years to tell his "survivor" story. It's short (52 pages), so I blazed through it last night.

A deadly fog has wiped out London. The survivor (I can't remember his name or maybe he didn't have one) is headed back to check on his mother and sister. He spent the night with friends, and when morning came and London was silent, he had to head into the city.

With it being so short, I was surprised how much of the beginning was dedicated to listing the evils of London. After that, it ramped up a bit when he started his actual tale. This was written in 1880, so having the fog as a destructive force makes a lot of sense. 

I think my main issue with this was the length and calling him a survivor. He wasn't actually in the city, so he didn't technically survive the fog. Anyway, the length...so much potential was lost! It only scratches the surface of the event. The narrator makes his way through the destruction of the city and to his family, but then it ends. I wish there had been more, but I enjoyed about 2/3 of it. Somewhat Good Story?

Escape From Arnhem - Leo Heaps

Heaps was part of the doomed Battle of Arnhem. It was part of the larger Operation Market Garden, which didn't go anywhere close to planned.

Heaps goes through a lot. He is trapped behind enemy lines, gets captured, escapes, and helps the Dutch Underground transport evaders on numerous occasions. The tone is more narrative than internal, but I understand that. This was written a year after the war ended, and the wounds were still fresh. He may not have even had sufficient time to reflect how he felt at that point.

The writing itself is easy to follow, and there isn't any unnecessary flowery descriptions. I appreciated how he gave an update on various people if he knew what happened to them. There isn't any real in-depth intro into his life before the war, and for obvious reasons, his post-war life if a bit of a mystery. Heaps also wrote another book about Arnhem, The Grey Goose of Arnhem, and it looks like that one is focused more on various individuals.

I enjoyed this book. I learned a lot, and that's always a plus. It's on the short side, at a 145 pages, so if you're interested in Arnhem and the Dutch Resistance, this might be a good place to start. Good Book!