Dear Readers,
last Sunday we returned from our trip to the Baltic Sea coast. The weather has been extraordinary good. I could swim in the Baltic Sea. I did it the last time exactly one week ago.
I really wanted to write this post on Saturday but I have been upset by problems with GOODREADS and Blogger! I needed to switch off my laptop in order to calm down.
Now it is Sunday morning and I try again. In the meantime it is Sunday afternoon and I had to cope with problems. As a result I decided to write my post offline from next issue on. It is such a waste of time to correct html coding and so on.
I hope that there are not too many spelling mistakes within the post. As it is my "lucky day" today, spell check does not work for me.
I think I would have been a lot happier when I would have spent the day with reading instead with this post.
ENJOY READING ...
Edi's Guidepost
The Lighthouse
News and information straight from the horse's mouth by Lighthouse keeper ediFanoB
Reading progress
Books
The latest report from our shelf shop net correspondent Bona
New books on my shelf/reader or when one book leads to another
Books I read during my holiday
Blogosphere
Messages from the depths of the blogosphere by spheronaut Bona Fide
Surrealist Artwork
Codex Silenda
Victorian Computer
Movies
Remote control junkie Fide and his zapping highlights
Video games
Quotes
The member of the house of quotes and a quote himself the Keeper of the minutes ( we call him Kotm) fished for you
German proverbs, sayings and idioms Quote related to heaven
The Lighthouse
My reading progress shows clearly the difference between holiday and work. During my holiday I finished seven books in two weeks. Last week I needed a lot of time to read all the mails I received and to check all the blogs I follow. There was only some time left for reading. I started to read a steampunk book written in my first language.
I finished
- Vergessene Erfindungen ( pb, 2nd edition 2016, first published in 2004 [ISBN-13: 978-3832163402] by Christian Mähr
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"Die Idee an sich war gut.
Leider war das Buch stellenweise einfach zu technisch.
Ich denke, die Zeit wird kommen, dass wir auf bestimmte Erfindungen aus der Vergangenheit zurückgreifen sollten."
"The idea was good. Partially the book has been too technical.
I thin a time will come where it would be wise to remember such inventions."
- Love Story, With Murderers (digital, June 2013) [Kindle ASIN: B00CM9CJWY] by Harry Bingham
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"What shall I say?
I love to read Fiona Griffith stories. She is so different.
Harry Bingham did again an excellent job. A good story and strong Fiona moments.
I look forward to the next book.
I convinced my wife to try the first book in the series and she liked it as much as I did."
- Behind the Throne (digital 2nd August 2016) [Kindle Edition ASIN: B01D90138A] by K.B. Wagers.
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"When a book description ends with praise like the one for this book I read it with reservation.
I must say it was not necessary except for one point:
If you expect a lot of space battles based on the mentioned "all-out galactic war" then you will be disappointed.
Nevertheless there is a lot of planet bound action which is the expression of all the court intrigue from scandals to assassinations.
Another good thing is that the author never forget to deliver enough history and culture to make the reactions of the characters plausible.
You may not agree to every decision made by the main characters but they are comprehensible.
Due to the first person narration I felt more involved.
This is a promising space opera debut and I look forward to read the rest of the trilogy."
- Duskfall ( digital 21st June 2016) [Kindle Edition ASIN: B01F2YVQ92] by Christopher Husberg
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"I'm happy that I discovered and read this book because it was such a satisfying read for me.
Three strong characters which follow their paths in world where a lot is brewing under the surface and more is coming from the past.. I'm not a fan of vampires but then I met Astrid .... There is magic too. Different races inhabit the world and they do not like each other. Revelations, turns and twists keep the story moving. Not to forget some excellent fighting scenes.
At the end of the book you know a lot more will come in the following four books of "The Chaos Queen Quintet".
This strong dark fantasy debut is one of my best discoveries in 2016!"
- The Hope that Kills (digital, 1st September 2016) [Kindle Edition ASIN: B00Z9ZE1WE] by Ed James
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"So far I read the first DS Vicky Dodds book, the first Craig Hunter book, and all seven Scott Cullen books.
Now I met DI Fenchurch for the first time.
The plot was a really good one. It started with a simple murder investigation and ended up in a complex web of different crimes. Fenchurch is different compared to the characters of the other series. He is not bad but he is not my favourite character created by Ed James. That may change with more books in the series.
There is one thing which really annoyed me and which nearly led to just a three stars rating. Again and again the police officers failed to take suspects into custody. Sometimes it looked like a miracle that they finally got the suspect. For me it was believable that they failed once but to be so stupid to fail again and again ........
Nevertheless I will give the second DI Fenchurch a try."
- Stranger of Tempest (digital, 10th June 2016) [Kindle ASIN: B01175KEAC] by Tom Lloyd
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"I read the book within two days.
It has been a good fantasy story with interesting characters.
I would have given five stars but there was a long, long subterranean travel which I found tiresome despite the fact that there was a lot of action."
- The Dead Songbird (digital, February 2013) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B00BD75QQW] by Harriet Smart
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"This is for fans of Victorian mysteries.
The series started with The Butchered Man which liked a lot and if you want to participate in the character development of the two main characters - Chief Constable Major Vernon and police surgeon Felix Carswell - then I highly recommend to read it first.
The Dead Songbird comes with a different pace and very emotional actions. It is a book about buggery in Victorian era and it is about the impact of a femme fatale on men.
Of course there are two mysteries - a murder case and a kind of stalking - without the story would not work. Nevertheless they are the explicit expression of the actions and emotions of the characters in Victorian society.
I look forward to see how Vernon and Carswell will develop in the next book."
My reader shows different paging. therefore I change to percentage for digital books as it is possible to see on GOODREADS.
- 25 % done in Die äußerst seltsame Reise des Mongomery Flagstone (digital, 1st July 2016) [Kindle ASIN: B01HVA7QP8] by Ralph G. Kretschmann
I enjoyed it so far. Every new revelation lead to new questions. Whom to trust? Who is drug addicted? What happens in London?
- 43% done in The Jade Owl(digital, 23rd October 2008) [Kindle ASIN: B001J54AWO] by Edward C. Patterson which is the first book in The Jade Owl Legacy.
No progress. I was not in the right mood for the book.
Enjoy your weekend ....
Books
Dear readers, I'm the one to tell you about books - only books? What about novellas and other stuff? My name is Bona. I scour shelves, shops and the net for books. If you call me a book whore I would not gainsay you. But be aware I have my own, sometimes elusive taste.
New books on my shelf/reader or when one book leads to another
During my absence I received digital and paperback copies of books which I ordered in advance. Furthermore I could not resist a few cheap offers and finally I received an unexpected review copy
From time to time I like to read books in my first language. The description in combination with a really cheap offer led me to the decision to buy a digital copy of The Smoke Die äußerst seltsame Reise des Mongomery Flagstone (digital, 1st July 2016) [Kindle ASIN: B01HVA7QP8] by Ralph G. Kretschmann.
"„Die äußerst seltsame Reise des Montgomery Flagstone“ spielt in einer zukünftigen Welt, in der die Menschheit auf einer völlig veränderten Erde die Dampfkraft als vorherrschende Energiequelle nutzt. Was man über frühere Zeitalter weiß, beruht fast ausschließlich auf Grabungsfunden der Archäologischen Gesellschaft, einer beinahe allmächtigen Institution. Alle Wissenschaft untersteht ihrer Kontrolle und kaum etwas geschieht ohne ihre Genehmigung. Montgomery Flagstone wird mit seinem Freund Kant zu einer Ausgrabung gerufen, bei der Dinge zutage gefördert wurden, die sich die Archäologen nicht erklären können. Was sich den beiden dort offenbart, sprengt sämtliche Grenzen der Vorstellungskraft und konfrontiert sie mit der Frage, woher wir eigentlich kommen und wie weit wir wirklich zu gehen bereit sind.
Doch die Zeit drängt, denn im Hintergrund nehmen gefährliche Intrigen ihren Lauf, die die Zivilisation in ihren Grundfesten zu erschüttern drohen. So treten unsere Helden mit dem Mut der Verzweiflung eine waghalsige Reise an, denn es gilt nicht nur skrupellosen Machtmenschen zuvorzukommen, sondern auch mörderische Monstermaschinen aufzuhalten, um die Erde zu retten." [Source]
In order to give you an idea what the book is about I tried to translate the description.
"The story is set in a future world.Mankind is using steam power as the predominant source of energy on the totally changed planet. All knowledge about previous eras is based mostly of the excavations of the Archeological Society which is a most powerful institution. All science is under their control and nearly nothing happens without their approval. Montgomery Flagstone and his friend Kant get a call to support an excavation with mysterious finds. What is revealed to them over there is beyond their imagination and touches the question where mankind came from and how for they will go.
Time is running out because dangerous intrigues taking place and could shake civilization to its foundations. The safety of Earth lays in the hand of the heroes.
They work up the courage to undertake a daring travel to pre-empt scrupulous power seeker and to stop gruelling monster maschines in order to save Earth."
I really like Indiana Jones like stories and when I read the description of the following book which promise an adventure set in 1898 with a strong female main character I did not hestitate to order a copy of The Smoke Hunter (digital, 13th September 2016) [Kindle ASIN: B01C652PXQ] by Jacquelyn Benson
"Chasing a threat born in smoke...
London, 1898. Archivist Eleanora Mallory discovers a map to a legendary city . But is it the key to unravelling an ancient mystery or a clever hoax?
Compelled to find out, Ellie journeys to Central America - with a merciless enemy hot on her heels.
In a race to uncover the map's secret first, Ellie is forced to partner with maverick archaeologist Adam Bates, a man she's not sure she can trust. Together, they venture into an uncharted wilderness alive with smoke and shadows, where an even greater danger awaits them.
For what lies there whispering to be unearthed has the power to bring the world to its knees.
Join Ellie and Adam as they battle rivers of scorpions, plummeting waterfalls and pre-historic death traps on the journey to uncovering a deadly secret that could shake the fate of the world." [Source]
The following book has been on my to buy list for a while. Last week I found a cheap offer and bought a digital copy of
Downstation (digital, 18th February 2016) [Kindle ASIN: B01C652PXQ] by Simon Morden.
"A small group of commuters and tube workers witness a fiery apocalypse overtaking London. They make their escape through a service tunnel. Reaching a door they step through...and find themselves on a wild shore backed by cliffs and rolling grassland. The way back is blocked. Making their way inland they meet a man dressed in a wolf's cloak and with wolves by his side. He speaks English and has heard of a place called London - other people have arrived here down the ages - all escaping from a London that is burning. None of them have returned. Except one - who travels between the two worlds at will. The group begin a quest to find this one survivor; the one who holds the key to their return and to the safety of London.
And as they travel this world, meeting mythical and legendary creatures,split between North and South by a mighty river and bordered by The White City and The Crystal Palace they realise they are in a world defined by all the London's there have ever been." [Source]
For me there was no question that I wanted a paperback copy of the third book in Miles Cameron's The Traitor Son Cycle.
So I was quite happy when the copy of Dread Wyrm (pb, August 2016) [ISBN: 978-0575113381] by Miles Cameron arrived shortly before my holiday.
"SOME ARE BORN TO POWER
SOME SEIZE IT
AND SOME HAVE THE WISDOM NEVER TO WIELD IT
The Red Knight has stood against soldiers, against armies and against the might of an empire without flinching. He's fought on real and on magical battlefields alike, and now he's facing one of the greatest challenges yet.
A tournament.
A joyous spring event, the flower of the nobility will present arms and ride against each other for royal favour and acclaim. It's a political contest - and one which the Red Knight has the skill to win. But the stakes may be higher than he thinks. The court of Alba has been infiltrated by a dangerous faction of warlike knights, led by the greatest knight in the world: Jean de Vrailly - and the prize he's fighting for isn't royal favour, but the throne of Alba itself.
Where there is competition there is opportunity; the question is, will the Red Knight take it? Or will the creatures of the Wild seize their chance instead . . ." [Source]
A big thank you goes to Dancing Lemur Press for sending me a paperback review copy of The Remnan (pb, 7th February 2017) [ ISBN-13: 978-1939844293] by William Michael Davidson
"One nation, without God ...
Colton Pierce apprehends Abberants - those who display symptoms of faith - and quarantines them on a remote island to ensure public safety. Years prior, the government released a genetically-engineered super flu that destroyed the genes believed to be the biological source of spiritual experience in an effort to rid the world of terrorism. As an extractor with the Center for Theological Control, Colton is dedicated to the cause.
But Colton's steadfast commitment is challenged when he learns his own son has been targeted for extraction. An underground militia, the Remnant, agrees to help Colton save his son in exchange for his assistance with their plan to free the Aberrants on the island.
Colton is faced with the most important decision of his life. Remain faithful to the CTC? Or give up everything to save his son?" [Back of the review copy]
Books I read during my holiday
This was the list of books I wanted to read:
1) - Vergessene Erfindungen ( pb, 2nd edition 2016, first published in 2004 [ISBN-13: 978-3832163402] by Christian Mähr
2) - Fool's Assassin ( pb, 16th July 2015)[ISBN-13: 978-0007444205] by Robin Hobb
3) - The Hope that Kills (digital, 1st September 2016) [Kindle Edition ASIN: B00Z9ZE1WE] by Ed James
4) - Love Story, With Murderers (digital, June 2013) [Kindle ASIN: B00CM9CJWY] by Harry Bingham
5) - Behind the Throne (digital 2nd August 2016) [Kindle Edition ASIN: B01D90138A] by K.B. Wagers
6) - Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? (digital, 19th May 2016) [Kindle edition ASIN: B018XV0A4I] by Paul Cornell
7) - Beloved Poison (digital, 4th August [Kindle Edition ASIN: B01HN8IEWC] by E.S. Thompson
In the end I red four (1, 3, 4, 5) of the seven mentioned books and replaced the remaining three books (2, 6, 7) by
- The Dead Songbird (digital, February 2013) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B00BD75QQW] by Harriet Smart
- Duskfall ( digital 21st June 2016) [Kindle Edition ASIN: B01F2YVQ92] by Christopher Husberg
- Stranger of Tempest (digital, 10th June 2016) [Kindle ASIN: B01175KEAC] by Tom Lloyd
I just picked them based on my mood and I was happy with my choice.
No more today, see you next week ......
Blogosphere
Hey, I'm Bona Fide. I just came back from my last foray through the blogosphere. What can you expect from me? I tell you: Everything from Art to Fart as long as there is any faint connection to books. And here is some honey from the beehive blogosphere...
Surrealist Artwork
I love to dive into the artwork shown over at WebUrbanist and enjoy
Unnatural Wonders: Magical Surrealist Artwork Worthy of Dalí & Escher
Codex Silenda
Do you know the codex? For me t was completely new. It is awesome. Just visit WebUrbanist and enjoy
Codex Silenda: Solve Puzzles to Turn Pages in this Crafty Wooden Book
Victorian Computer
It is always fascinating for me to read such posts like the following one. The Victorian era has been a most imaginative and inventive one. The following post over at Atlas Obscura is an excellent example for that:
That's it for today. Come back next week for more ......
Movies
Hey, it's me Fide. I'm a remote control professional. I'm that fast that I can watch two movies at the same time.
Today I want to talk about about video games.
Before my holiday I emphasized my wish to get a copy of Bioshock: The Collection. Fortunately there was enough money left to buy a copy which I did.
After a few hours of game play I must say I'm fascinated by the world and the story. The list of games I want to play is getting longer and I need to find a proper share of spare time between reading and playing.
The list of remastered games is getting longer but there are PS3 games which won't be remastered for PS4. That does not matter for me because there are games which are worth to play them on PS3.
The good thing is that we own a PS3 and a PS4 and two TVs. That means my wife and I can play different games at the same time.
A few weeks ago I wrote about No Man's Sky which my wife and I loved to play. In the meantime our love for the game dropped distinctive.
For now we stopped playing the game. We will see if there will be new content in near future or not.
That brings me back to the list of games I want to play (either to start new or to continue):
PS3
- Read Dead Redemption
I tried it last year but was not so happy with my handling of horses.
Now I started it again and I love it. Yesterday evening I used it to calm down my anger about Blogger and GOODREADS.
Even after six years it is a fantastic game and still looks good. I understand very well why so many people are longing for Read Dead Redemption 2.
- Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
My wife and I played Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and on PC. But since we prefer to play a bit more comfortable in front of a TV, it was no question that we bought a PS3 version. I can't count the hours I spent with these games.
- Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
We played it many, many hours on PS3. Nevertheless we decided to get a copy of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Of course we are aware that there is no mod support so far. Nevertheless the graphic enhancement is like the cherry on the cake. We booth look forward to start a new game with new characters.
- Fallout 3
We own a copy of the game of the year edition. I played it last year and I will return. I find it not that difficult to resume the game after a long pause.
- Fallout: New Vegas
We own a copy of the ulitmate edition. I played it last year and I will return. I find it not that difficult to resume the game after a long pause.
PS4
- Fallout 4
We own a copy of the game and of all DLC. Whenever I'm in the right mood and find time I play. I discovered so many places and played so many side quests. But lot of the main quest and most of the DLC are still waiting for me.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
We own a copy of the game and of all DLC. This is such an awesome game and we love it.
- Bioshock: The Collection.
As I wrote above, I'm just a few hours in the first of the three games.
- No Man's Sky
We may resume the game. It depends totally on additional content.
The next two games on our list:
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
My wife started to think about her new character. She plays mostly male characters whereas I play mostly female characters. Due to my preferred weapons - bow and crossbow - I play as a wood elf. Not sure if I will change this time ...
- Horizon: Zero Dawn (1st of March 2017)
This game ticks many boxes for me: open world, female main character, bows, role-playing, action
In the meantime several videos are available. I found it quite interesting what director Mathijs de Jongefrom Guerilla games had to say about the game in following interview
All these games guarantee many, many hours of entertainment and one thing is for sure: To play video games is not a question of age.
That's it for today. Come back next week for more ......
Quotes
I 'm the Keeper of the minutes. But I don't mind when you call me Kotm. No, no. I don't explain to you how to pronounce.
In the end it depends on how you define interesting ....
"In heaven all the interesting people are missing."
Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher, 1844 -1900