Revelation by C. J. Sansom

Title:  Revelation
Author:  C. J. Sansom
Pages:  550
Genre:  Historical Fiction / Mystery
Series:  Shardlake, Book 4

Synopsis:  In Revelation, Sansom’s newest book in the series, the year is 1543 and King Henry VIII is wooing Lady Catherine Parr, a woman sympathetic to reform, whom he wants for his sixth wife— much to the dismay of Archbishop Cranmer and the embattled Protestant faction at court. Meanwhile, Matthew Shardlake is working to defend a teenage boy, a religious fanatic who is being held in the infamous Bedlam hospital for the insane. When an old friend of Shardlake’s is murdered, he vows to bring the killer to justice. His search leads him back to Bedlam but also to Catherine Parr—and the dark prophecies of the Book of Revelation. As Bishop Bonner prepares to purge London of Protestants, Shardlake, with his assistant Jack Barak, uncovers a series of horrific murders that shake them all to the core.

Review:  These are some of the best historical fiction out there.  I believe I like this author as well as I do Sharon Penman and that is saying something.  Plus, his main character, Matthew Shardlake, is wonderful.  A lawyer by trade, Matthew finds himself embroiled in mysteries and politics (usually at the same time).

This story, mainly about the search for a serial killer, is chilling and full of adventure.  The descriptions of life in London in 1543 are realistic (and sometimes disgusting).  At the end, the Historical Note shows just how much research went into making this book as true to the times as possible.

I have one more Shardlake book to read and then there is another one I don't have.  After that, there seem to be no more coming.  I'll miss them.  This author has two other novels, both set in the 1940's, and perhaps I'll give them a try, but I won't love them like I've loved these books set in the early Renaissance in England.

Rating:  10 / 10

Phantoms by Dean Koontz

Title:  Phantoms
Author:  Dean Koontz
Pages:  434
Genre:  Horror
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis: A tale of an abandoned town and the unimaginable truth behind its silence...

Now with a new afterword, Dean Koontz explains the impact Phantoms had on his career.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE EXIST ONLY TO BE KILLED?

YES.  YOU ARE CATTLE.  YOU ARE PIGS.  YOU ARE WORTHLESS.

Review:  Do not read this book after dark!!  It is scary and drags you in kicking and screaming.  It makes you believe in The Ancient Enemy, who calls himself by many names, including Legion and Satan.  As much as I wanted to believe that this was another horror story with superstition and fantasy as a basis, it seemed far too scientific and real.  Very scary!!

The horror is non-stop, until the very end, and just when you think it's safe....it's not.  I finished the book in just over 24 hours.  I highly recommend this story.

Rating:  9.5 / 10

Read It Again, Sam Wrap-Up

I actually completed my goal on April 24th, but I knew I had one more book and I wanted to have all the re-reads on my list before I did this post.  It's the first challenge I completed this year!!

I chose the level Feeling Nostalgic (Reread 8 books).  I re-read the following books:

1.  The Gunslinger by Stephen King
2.  The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King
3.  The Waste Lands by Stephen King
4.  Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
5.  Wizard and Glass by Stephen King
6.  The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King
7.  Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King
8.  Song of Susannah by Stephen King
9.  The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Some of these books had only been read once before (Doomsday Book  and the last three of The Dark Tower series) and one I read again for the *eleventh* time (The Gunslinger).  I enjoyed each and every book I chose for this challenge and I'm planning to do this challenge again next year!

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Title:  The Dark Tower
Author:  Stephen King
Pages:  845
Genre:  Fantasy
Series:  The Dark Tower, Book 7

"May you find your Tower, Roland, and breach it, and may you climb to the top!"

Synopsis: All good things must come to an end, Constant Reader, and not even Stephen King can make a story that goes on forever. The tale of Roland Deschain's relentless quest for the Dark Tower has, the author fears, sorely tried the patience of those who have followed it from its earliest chapters. But attend to it a while longer, if it pleases you, for this volume is the last, and often the last things are best.

Roland's ka-tet remains intact, though scattered over wheres and whens. Susannah-Mia has been carried from the Dixie Pig (in the summer of 1999) to a birthing room -- really a chamber of horrors -- in Thunderclap's Fedic; Jake and Father Callahan, with Oy between them, have entered the restaurant on Lex and Sixty-first with weapons drawn, little knowing how numerous and noxious are their foes. Roland and Eddie are with John Cullum in Maine, in 1977, looking for the site on Turtleback Lane where "walk-ins" have been often seen. They want desperately to get back to the others, to Susannah especially, and yet they have come to realize that the world they need to escape is the only one that matters.

Thus the book opens, like a door to the uttermost reaches of Stephen King's imagination. You've come this far. Come a little farther. Come all the way. The sound you hear may be the slamming of the door behind you. Welcome to The Dark Tower.

Because when ka-tet breaks, the end always comes quickly.

Review:  The last book in The Dark Tower series is just plain incredible and scary and sad.  It's a wonderful story.  I can't say too much because I'm afraid I'll give spoilers, but rest assured that this book is an epic ending to an incredible series.

Ted Brautigan (from Hearts in Atlantis) makes an appearance, as does Patrick Danville (Insomnia).  There are so many completely happy and completely horrible moments in this story that I found myself crying one moment and laughing the next.

Now that I've re-read the entire series, I remember why this is (and always will be) one of my two favorite series of all time.

Rating:  10 / 10

A to Z ~ Reflections

I made it through all of the letters this time around and without changing my theme!  It was so nice to meet new people and visit new blogs!

I was taught something new by Sue at The Great Raven.  Thanks to Sue, I now have a Followers gadget on my blog!!

I found so many great themes and posts.  My A to Z went from April Fools' Day to Zicree, with every post somehow related to books.  I think my favorite post was K ~ King.  Stephen King is just amazing!  I also really enjoyed writing O ~ One Thing.  I liked how free I felt, writing about something that means so much to me, rather than just reviewing a book or an author.

For anyone questioning whether this blogging challenge works, it does.  I usually get about 480 visitors per month, which is fine because I really just blog about books because I love doing it.  In April, it was 1,584 -- over THREE TIMES the number.  I also have six followers, which is six more than I had a month ago.  It was a wild ride.  I am glad I finished.  I'll look forward to next year.

Z ~ Zicree

Marc Zicree is yet another author I discovered quite by accident at the Friends of the Library book sale.  Yes, I have been very lucky with my used books from that source.  His Magic Time trilogy was magical.

I loved all three books.  You can read my reviews here:  Magic Time, Angelfire and Ghostlands.  I really only bought them because of the artwork (I'm a sucker for great cover art) and because the author's name started with that impossible-to-find letter Z, but I ended up finding out that they contained an original story that I loved.

Look for them.  Try the Friends of the Library book sale.  Or Amazon.  Or your local library.  They're worth finding.

Y ~ Yarrow

Charles de Lint is one of my favorite fantasy authors.  His Newford series is (as usual) very long and completely wonderful.  Yarrow starts with Y and is pretty much everything I ask for in a fantasy novel.  I remember thinking I'd never love another of his books as much as his The Riddle of the Wren, but I was wrong.  Mr. de Lint has an endless ability to write books I love.

It was a keeper, but somehow has been lost in one of my many moves.  I wish I still had it and hope one day to find another copy.

X ~ An Xt Called Stanley

An Xt Called Stanley by Robert Trebor is one of those books I love because it surprised me.  I found it, with it's interesting artwork and intriguing synopsis, at yet another Friends of the Library book sale.  When you get a book you've never heard of by an author you've never heard of for a quarter, you hope for the best and prepare to be disappointed.

This book was such a great example of classic science fiction.  I read it almost ten years ago now and still remember it with fondness.  I don't imagine it's easy to find but if you find a copy, grab it.  You will be glad you did.

W ~ Without Remorse

Without Remorse by Tom Clancy is part of the Jack Ryan universe.  This series includes so many great thrillers:  The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, The Sum of All Fears, and Executive Orders, just to name a few.

Many of them have been made into movies.  Harrison Ford has played Jack Ryan.  Sean Connery was in the movie version of The Hunt for Red October.  These are seriously some of the best political thrillers ever.

Sure, there are twenty-two novels in the series, some of which I haven't read yet, but I've yet to be disappointed and I do love a good, long series.  They are everything good thrillers should be.