The end of James Bond’s first year at Eton is almost here, and the young boy, still thirteen, is working to figure out what to do with his summer holidays. His Aunt Charmain endorses his choice to go on a school trip to Sardinia, with the caveat that if it gets too dull, he can…
Category: The Book Shelf
Monday Musings – The Movie Tie-In Saga
I’ve always been an avid reader. I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have at least one book on the go. And, I loved my movies. When I was a kid all the way up through the end of high school I was a devout fan of the movie tie-in book….
Star Wars: Ambush at Corellia (1995) – Roger MacBride Allen
It’s been awhile since I traveled to a galaxy far, far away. That being said, it’s surprising how quickly I fell back into the storylines and these versions of iconic characters. Originally published in 1995, this story, the first installment in The Corellian Trilogy is set 18 years after the Battle of Yavin. Allen has…
Lost Man’s Lane (2024) – Scott Carson
Scott Carson delivers a book I just couldn’t put down with Lost Man’s Lane. Combining nostalgia for the end of the 20th century with a twist of supernatural thriller, the tale is a coming-of-age story that is by turns frightening and beautifully told. Marshall and his mom are living their lives in quiet Bloomington. When…
SilverFin (2005) – Charlie Higson
The Young Bond series gets underway with SilverFin written by Charlie Higson, with the blessing of the Ian Fleming Foundation. It’s a curious idea. By giving us a young James Bond, you’d think the stories are meant to appeal to young adult readers. But the stories themselves are in keeping with the literary James Bond…
Never Flinch (2025) – Stephen King
I love the character of Holly Gibney, so anytime King wants to put her in another story, I’m there for it. And he did just that with Never Flinch. And if Holly is there, you know some of her friends will be around – Barbara, Jerome, Izzy. Holly, and the readers, soon find themselves dealing…
To Be Taught, If Fortunate (2019) – Becky Chambers
The last (for now) Becky Chambers book for me to read was her first. Again, it’s too short, but it hints at the wonders to come in her Wayfarer Series and Monk and Robot books. The story follows a foursome of Earth explorers as they explore strange new worlds. Well four of them anyway. And…
Alien: Out of the Shadows (2014) – Tim Lebbon
It’s been a long time since I picked up an Alien novel. I dug the Alien 3 novel based on the original script by William Gibson, and before that I read Alan Dean Foster’s adaptation of Aliens bach when it first came out. But I was eager to dig into the universe again, I was…
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (2022) – Becky Chambers
I have to say, I love the writing of Becky Chambers. I have one more book to read written by her, and I already have it on hold at the library. There is so much hope, joy, wonder, and self-care in the narratives, that they feel like a salve for the soul. A Prayer for…
The Mercy of Gods (2024) – James S.A. Corey
When I see James S.A. Corey on the front of a book, I know I can buy it whether I know anything about it or not. I love their storytelling style, and The Mercy of the Gods, the first book in a new trilogy called The Captive’s War. Shorter than some of the entries in…
The Mind Reels 