A Green Man Review

When I am dead, I want for my grave
A flashy funeral pray let me have
Six highwaymen for to carry me
Oh give them broadswords and sweet liberty
Oh give them broadswords and sweet liberty

‘The Newry Highwayman’

What’s that lovely piece of music I’ve been playing in the Library? That’d be Boiled in Lead‘s version of a trad piece called ‘Newry Highwayman’ Not ‘tall trad the way that they do it, but who cares long as it’s great music? I’m playing only that band this afternoon as I go through the correspondence that’s come in to me this past fortnight.

Some of it is from the publicists we deal with who thought I might be interested in purchasing something they were hawking for the Library. If I’m interested, particularly if it’s fiction, I’ll see if there’s sufficient interest among the Estate community, since the purpose of a work is to be read over and over, not sit on a shelf.  And some works never garner enough interest to be worth having. For those books, we use the British Interlibrary loaning system.

In between lots of coffee and setting up my ‘office’ which is myself, a large mug of Blue Mountain coffee, a very large and warm cardamon chocolate sticky bun and my iPad, I‘m now down in the Kitchen on the corner bench watching the staff as they talk among themselves as they prepare the evening meal of roast chicken, new potatoes, sautéed corn and peppers, and blackberry tartlets with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Sounds positively yummy!

April starts us off with a treat for fairy tale aficionados: ‘Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales are well known, even to those who’ve never heard his name. His stories have entered our cultural consciousness (who doesn’t know of “The Little Mermaid,” even if it’s only through Disney’s version) and verbal lexicon (“The Emperor’s New Clothes”) and are here to stay. Maria Tatar’s The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen offers a glimpse at the man behind the tales, the subtle nuances of his art and language and renders the stories all the more powerful.’

Cat considers Emma Bull’s Finder to be the best look at the Terri Windling created Bordertown series: ‘My personally autographed copy of the hardcover edition is subtitled “A Novel of The Borderlands,” which tells you that it’s set in The Borderland ‘verse created by Terri Windling. It’s not the only Borderland novel: her husband, Will Shetterly, wrote two splendid novels set here, Elsewhere and Nevernever. I, however, think that it’s the best of the three.’

He was also pleased with The Best Thing You Can Steal, the first installment in the new Gideon Sable series from Simon R. Green. ‘Gideon Sable is a thief par excellance. He specializes in stealing the kind of things that can’t normally be stolen — sometimes they don’t even exist as we normally define such things. He’s even stolen his name — he’s not the first Gideon Sable. So now he’s planning a master heist, to steal something from the most evil man in the world.’

Chuck notes that ‘I figure this much: Ian McDonald’s Desolation Road starts with a green man crossing the desert, so this has to be the perfect book for Green Man Review. OK, the book calls him a “greenperson,” and the desert is on a Mars of the future, transformed by mankind’s effort, but you get the idea. Trailing this greenperson is Dr. Alimantando. He comes to a place along a railroad, where, almost accidentally, he settles and starts the community that he names Desolation Road. Soon after, more people begin arriving and, in short order, the community becomes a village, a city, a war zone and a ghost-town — all within 23 Martian years. That’s the story.’

Gary reviewed Arthur C. Clarke’s Tales From The White Hart which, he notes, ‘is a series of superficially linked stories told by the fictional patrons of a fictional pub somewhere in London. The narrator is a fictionalized version of Clarke (the other patrons rib him for being a teetotaler), and I’ve no doubt some of the other patrons mentioned are probably based on others in his scientific and writing circles.’

Gary also looks at a perennial favorites of lots of us: ‘The long and colorful publishing history of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit continues with a new edition that seems to be aimed at reclaiming the written version of the story as a way to introduce it to young readers. It’s a handsome hardcover book with illustrations by the young Jemima Catlin, who was hand-picked for the assignment by the Tolkien Estate.’

An Ian Macdonald novel garners this comment from Grey: ‘Today, I picked up King of Morning, Queen of Day again just to refresh my memory before writing this review. After all, it doesn’t do to refer to a book’s main character as Jennifer if her name is actually Jessica. But my quick brush-up turned into a day-long marathon of fully-engaged, all-out reading. I’ve been on the edge of my seat, I’ve been moved to tears, I’ve laughed, I’ve marked passages that I want to quote.’

Welsh mythology in the guise of a well-loved novel gets looked at by me: ‘I must have first read Alan Garner’s The Owl Service some forty years ago when I was interested in all things concerning Welsh mythology. I wanted a hardcover first edition which cost a pretty penny at the time. I mention this because it’s now been at least twenty years since I last read this novel, which is long enough that when Naxos kindly sent the audiobook, I had pretty much forgotten the story beyond remembering that I was very impressed by the story Garner told.’

Kelly says ‘Poul Anderson, who died in 2001, was one of the grand old voices of science fiction right up until his death, winning the Hugo Award seven times, the Nebula Award three times, and being named in 1997 as a Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America. His was a long and prolific career. In the middle of that career, he created a character named Dominic Flandry, whose adventures had eluded me as a reader until my review copy of Ensign Flandry arrived on my desk. Now I’m wondering why.’

Kelly has a review of the audiobook version of a novel jointly written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. She says, ‘If you’ve never heard Good Omens, you should. Whether or not you give a damn about theology or metaphysics, I prophesy you’ll find yourself chuckling often — or, like me, barking — as Martin Jarvis and these two well loved masters poke fun at everything most people hold dear and bring you to the brink of Armageddon.’

Richard looks at an Ian MacDonald novel which is set in the same reality as Desolation Road  and has a cautionary note as his first words: ‘You will know whether you will love or hate Ares Express long before you have finished the first chapter. The litmus test is very simple: what is your reaction to the name of the main character. If you find Sweetness Octave Glorious-Honeybun Assim Engineer 12th to be painfully twee or flat-out incomprehensible, then you will hate this book.’

Robert looked at a novel that should probably have a warning label, The Incrementalists, a collaboration between Steven Brust and Skyler White: ‘Readers who like everything laid out plainly are going to hate this book – nothing is up front. I was struck by how much of the story happens behind the words: it comes in layers and as they get unpeeled, one discovers more layers.’

And there’s more as he reviewed the sequel as well: ‘Call it “slipstream”: it’s not exactly science fiction, although it could be; nor is it fantasy, although it has elements of that, in the gritty, contemporary, urban vein; and anything it takes from mainstream fiction is more from the realm of Pynchon than Hemingway. I’m referring, of course, to The Skill of Our Hands, the sequel to The Incrementalists from Steven Brust and Skyler White.’

Christopher Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief is says our Warner, ‘ a fun and fast moving read. Not for those who need clean language, or who cannot handle the occasional tragic moment, but quite enjoyable. This would be easy to recommend to readers who might enjoy something rougher and darker fantasy.’

Up next for this reviewer is bit of comic fluff: ‘this David Ebenbach’s How To Mars is a fascinating bit of comedy built from a series of shorter pieces into a novel. A group of people are on an ill-considered mission to chastely colonize mars. One of them has gotten pregnant. As a premise goes, this certainly lends itself to comedic potential.’

A tough subject wraps up the reviews for this staffer: ‘Jamison Green’s Becoming a Visible Man is an excellent autobiography of an at this point fairly well-known trans rights activist and expert. It also represents an excellent tool for individuals seeking to better understand the trans man, the issues he might run up against and the life he might lead. A popular book in its area when first printed in 2004, this second edition updates and expands itself greatly.’

A certain Elizabeth has a chocolate story for us: ‘Best chocolate? Here’s a story: About ten years ago, my sister-in-law gave my family, gathered some 20-odd strong in Vermont, a box of extremely expensive Belgian chocolates for Christmas. (I can’t recall the name of the company, but I’ll check later.) We spent the week eating them, and then when there were only a few left, my 8-year-old daughter Callie picked one out, bit into it and cried out; then held out her hand to display a small metal bolt. (Fortunately no teeth were broken.) I took the bolt, and when we got home to Maine, wrote a very nice letter to the chocolate company’s American office, explaining what had happened, and sent it off with the offending metal. I then told Callie and her four-year-old brother, “We will now be supplied with chocolate for life.” Well, we weren’t set for life, but a week later an ENORMOUS box of chocolates (huge box, and three layers deep) arrived with a very nice very apologetic letter from the company. We ate those chocolates for about a month. They were fabulous. Sadly, I’ve never been able to afford to eat them since.’

OK, I’m not sure this exists anymore and I’m reasonably certain it was only released on VHS but Michael says it’s worth seeking out: ‘Adapted from the Charles de Lint short story of the same name, Sacred Fire was produced as an episode of the anthology television series, The Hunger, and first showed in 1999. A horror/dark fantasy series initially hosted by Terence Stamp and then David Bowie, The Hunger takes dark, twisted looks at the world around us.’ In an email, the author notes that one of his favourite things about it is ‘David Bowie dressed up as a mad scientist as he introduces it!’ The story is found in the Dreams Underfoot collection, which is available what I call the usual suspects of Apple Books, Kindle and Kobo.

Cat has another one of those ‘if you can find this, you must watch it’ reviews. This time out he tells us about Secret World Live, a DVD of a 1993 Peter Gabriel concert. ‘Peter is a man comfortable on the boundaries between folk and rock, between nature and technology, between theater and music — he thrives on the edges where most artists truly dare not go.’

Michelle enjoyed the updated film treatment of an age-old fairy tale, Ever After: A Cinderella Story, directed by Andy Tennant. ‘As a lighthearted twist on convention, Ever After offers many pleasures; and as a fantasy of a Renaissance woman out to transform her own fortunes if not her society, it has the virtue of a happy ending.’

Denise was a little surprised to find herself enjoying Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection, by J. Scott Campbell and Andy Hartnell. But she found the story and especially the art too titillating to put down. ‘As far as the story goes, with the not-so-subtle nod to Indiana Jones-type, rock-’em-sock-’em action, the pages turn quickly. Every chapter/issue has a cliffhanger that will kill any idea of “just one more page before bed.” ‘

Donna takes a close look at a graphic treatment of a subject she knows something about, the labor struggle in the United States. Here she reviews Wobblies! A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World, edited by Paul Buhle and Nicole Schulman. ‘Intended to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the IWW, Wobblies! is an unabashed tribute to the union and its founders and members, known and unknown.’

From the Archives, we have a couple of reviews of CDs by Americana musician Darrell Scott:

Brendan had mixed feelings about Darrell Scott’s Family Tree. ‘Combining his husky, world-weary voice with a cadre of top-notch musicians — Sam Bush on fiddle and mandolin, Vassar Clements on fiddle, and Tim O’Brien on backing vocals, just to name a few — and his own capable guitar and mandolin work, Scott has produced a fine work of country-tinged, straight-forward modern American folk music.’ Read his review to find out what his misgivings were.

Christopher also had mixed emotions about two releases by Darrell Scott, Theatre of the Unheard and Live in NC. Of the former, he says, ‘Perhaps this says more about my prejudices than the record, but I find the deeply earnest nature of it somewhat embarrassing, in much the same way I have a problem with Bruce Springsteen.’ And of the latter, ‘Live in NC works so much better than Theatre of the Unheard because the songs are given space, both terms of both the arrangements and timing.

Since we’re talking about Boiled in Lead and related matters, do check out the detailed omnibus review that Chuck wrote on BiL’s first decade. It covers Boiled in Lead and Hotheads (1985 and 1986), 1989’s From the Ladle to the Grave, Orb, Antler Dance, all the way to 1995’s Songs From the Gypsy.

Daniel reports on Tori Amos’s Tales of a Librarian, an early career overview of an American musician who’s difficult to classify. Is she Americana? Pop? Singer-songwriter? ‘Tales Of A Librarian is the CliffsNotes version of Amos’s decade-long career — a career that, in addition to being broadly represented on the album, is also depicted bravely and unflinchingly, warts and all.’

David has high praise for an anthology of music by the band everybody thinks of as just Neil Young’s backing band, Crazy Horse’s Gone Dead Train: The Best of 1971-1989. ‘It’s amazing that so many personnel changes, so much tragedy, could lead to so many great (but virtually unknown) songs. These guys deserve to be heard. The album flat out rocks.’

‘Jay Hammond, now based in Durham, North Carolina by way of Brooklyn, and his musical collective called Trippers & Askers, have created a layered masterpiece of spiritual, jazzy indie folk music that speaks of hope to this pandemic-battered and climate change scorched world,’ Gary says. The album is called Acorn, and it’s inspired by Parable of the Sower, a prescient, spiritual science fiction tale written in the 1990s by Octavia Butler. Read his review for more about this multi-layered project.

Judith laments that she turned up her nose at folk dancing while at college, now that there’s lots of good Balkan music to dance to, like The Baksheesh Boys’ self-titled CD. ‘At my college, the typical folkdancer was a nerdy professor’s daughter wearing a homemade polyester peasant blouse who danced with a buck-toothed smile to crackly Monitor LPs. Hence, I long ago missed the boat on Eastern European music. Now, they’ve got wonderful live party music on that boat and I have two left feet!’

In addition to enjoying the increased popularity of East Asian film in the west, Kelly is glad to see the scores and soundtracks to these Asian films becoming more accessible. Here he takes a look at two CD releases of such scores, Shigeru Umebayashi’s House of Flying Daggers and Tan Dun’s Hero. ‘Tan Dun’s score to Hero is a fairly contemplative effort, and is marked by the restraint of a classical composer. … Composed by Shigeru Umebayashi — who was once the front man for the Japanese New Wave band EX — the score to House of Flying Daggers is more animated than Hero‘s, and it supplements the traditional orchestral sound with Asian instruments such the Chinese erhu and pipa, as well as wooden flutes and Chinese percussion.

Swedish duo Olov Johansson & André Ferrari are releasing their first album after playing together in Väsen as well as other projects over the years. The album, In Beat Ween Rhythm, features Johansson on nyckelharpa and Ferrari on percussion, drums and bass. We’re eagerly anticipating the full release – it was out July 31 in Europe and is coming somewhat later in the States – and encourage you to check out their video of the first single, “Skevschottis.”

Let’s finish this edition with Boiled In Lead playing ‘The Newry Highwayman’ at Minnesota State Fair 10 years ago. It’s a lovely piece of music with their usual full own enthusiasm. I never have the privilege of seeing them live unfortunately, though Cat did once.

These fragile, worn, faded, thin, cheap paper-bound books. They smelled of dust, and mould, and age. They smelled, faintly, of pee, and tobacco, and spilled coffee. They smelled like things which had lived. They smelled like history. ― Lavie Tidhar’s Central Station

It’s a wet day here with constant rain and wind enhanced by the sound of thunder as extremely violent storms roll across the Estate. By no means a day to be outside, so Kinrowan Hall is busy from the Kitchen and Pub in the basement to the private flats for senior staff on the top floors of this ancient, sprawling building.

My Several Annies are managing Library affairs such as need doing so I’m putting together this Edition while sampling the just tapped Summerland Ale named after a certain novel by a baseball loving staffer and munching on some most excellent Riverrun cheddar cheese and a quite superb smoked garlic beef sausage.

My reading this week has been an old favourite, Charles de Lint’s The Little Country, so I’ve been listening to music from it as done by Zahatar on their Little Country album, plus music from Kathryn Tickell and Billy Pigg as well as Janey Little, the smallpiper in it, was inspired by them. Now let’s see what’s in this edition…

Brendan said he enjoyed and learned a lot from The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs, a serious and scholarly look at the subject. ‘Be warned, though, if you are in the least offended by words like “cunt,” “prick,” “fuck,” or “pubic,” or the various sentences that usually contain these words, then do not read this book.’

Cat, our Editor in Chief, found a lot to like in Seanan McGuire’s Indexing books: ‘I’m re-listening right now to one of those things that Seanan McGuire does so ever well: she takes a familiar story and make it fresh. … I first read it as novels when they came out some six years ago and then listened to it a few years later. Now being home confined due to three knee surgeries, I’m doing a lot of audiobooks and this was a series I wanted to revisit while working on other things.’

He says Roger Zelazny’s Roadmarks features a protagonist somebody is trying to kill as he moves along a time-travelling road. As one does. ‘Zelazny really didn’t do plots all that well, but he was gifted at developed unique characters and settings. So, like so many of his novels, this one’s true strengths lies in the unique nature of the setting, combined with the character development…’

Diane says she learned a lot about classic children’s literature from the details about the authors’ lives detailed in Don’t Tell The Grownups. ‘If you ever wondered at the appeal of Kate Greenaway’s winsome lasses with their wispy Empire gowns, if you’ve ever contemplated the universal charm of Winnie the Pooh, if you’ve ever tucked The Secret Garden into your suitcase to peruse on vacation, then Alison Lurie’s book of essays is for you.’

Jack looks at the fist volume of a much praised anthology series: ‘One could do far worse for winter’s reading pleasure than any volume of the YBFH. I certainly have spent many a night when the snow was falling, the wind howling, and the temperature colder than I care to know, reading from one of these fine volumes. The Year’s Best Fantasy: First Annual Collection was a good start to a series that has indeed proved to be the best of its kind, period. My kudos to Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling for an excellent start to what would be a long running series.’

Lahri highly recommends Hy Bender’s The Sandman Companion for all fans of Neil Gaiman’s epic graphic literature series. ‘If you fall into the avid fan category, then The Sandman Companion is an essential supplement, or concordance, to the series. Gaiman’s stories are thick with mythological characters and references from around the world. He also pays constant homage to his favorite authors, films and books, and he is a devil at hiding clues and foreshadows of future stories in earlier issues. Author Hy Bender is exhaustive in searching out these intricacies of Gaiman’s work and does an excellent job of putting them all into context.’

Cat to the Dogs was warmly regarded by Naomi: ‘To be honest, I owe Ms. Murphy an apology. The first paragraph of this novel elicited an audible groan from me, and some fast second thoughts. After all, who wants to read about a woodrat dangling (still warm by the way), from the mouth of the protagonist, even if he does happen to be a tomcat? Well, I persevered, and by the end of the first page was intrigued, if not engrossed, in the unfolding tale.’

An (un)novel set in a future Tel Aviv caught the interest of Richard as well: ‘Lavie Tidhar’s Central Station is barely a novel, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Instead, it’s a loosely connected series of stories featuring a rotating cast of characters, and the gently ramshackle DIY nature of the narrative structure matches up perfectly with the DIY, maker-centric vision of the world that Central Station presents.’

Robert first has a look at what he hopes is the beginning of a new fantasy series by Tanya Huff, The Enchantment Emporium: ‘It’s coming on May Day, and the Aunties are all baking pies in preparation for the ritual, when the news comes that Allie’s Gran is dead, by way of a letter from Gran herself. She’s left Allie her business in Calgary — a small business, she writes, that has become crucial to the local community. It’s not until Allie gets to Calgary that she begins to realize just what community Gran means. And it’s in Calgary that things start to get really weird.’

He also has a review of Brokedown Palace by Stephen Brust: ‘This is a novel, with all the elements that make a novel what it is. I’ve said before that I think Brust is one of the master stylists working in fantasy today, and this one only confirms that opinion. Even though Brust is describing fantastic things, his mode is realist narrative, and a very clean and spare narrative it is, although more poetic than most of his work. While his characteristically sardonic humor and his flair for irony are readily apparent, there is a magical feel to it, in the sense of things that cannot be, and perhaps should not be, explained.’

Warner says that Stephen R. Bissette, Mark Morris, Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon and Stephen Vol’s Studio of Screams ‘is an impressive piece of horror writing, a love letter to a snapshot of the genre that simultaneously takes a look at the damaged nature of the culture which produced it. Rather than simply finding the sins in the past, this book holds that disturbing mirror up to the current events relating to said culture as well. Easily recommended to horror fans who have the slightest interest in the genre.’

Next up is Albert E. Cowdrey’s Revelation & Other Tales of Fantascience which ‘includes an assortment of stories by the author dating from the year 2000 up to 2015. They are varied in style and subject matter, yet each includes definite style familiar to the author’s work.  A delightful introduction by Gordon Van Gelder helps to make clear the place Cowdrey holds in science fiction, reflecting the myriad different aspects of it and influences held. It is a useful piece thay sets the reader up for the contents.’

He says has a novel in translation for us that sounds very cool: ‘Ae-Ran Kim is a known quality as an author, however this first novel marks her as a skilled novelist as well. The literary community has greatly look forward to future work by this woman, as she manages to pull universal human experience from relatively niche aspects of the world. My Brilliant Life is a pretty easy volume to recommend, perhaps not for someone in the grips of a depressive episode, but for a reader who needs something that explorers and its own strange way affirms the human condition.’

He has a slim mystery for us to consider: ‘Gerry Spence is an old hand in crime writing, both fiction and nonfiction. Blood on the Table fits well into the legal-thriller genre, while also using the switch in era quite well. To anyone looking for a nice period legal thriller this would be an excellent volume to pick up.’

Denise sampled three jerkys and all were winners in her opinion. Read on for her tasting notes!

Beer infused beef jerky? She says it’s a winner: ‘Righteous Felon crafts a whole lot of jerky. But I sunk my teeth into their Victorious B.I.G. because I needed to know what beer infused jerky tasted like. This one’s a collaboration with PA’s Victory Brewing Company, using their Storm King Imperial Stout to infuse this jerky. So this collaboration is all PA, and it feels like a match made in beer and beef heaven.’

Next up is some very meaty jerky: ‘I get a carnivorous hankering every now and then. And when I’m too lazy to throw a hunk of animal muscle on the barbie, I grab some jerky. I love dried meat; it’s got a lot of flavor, a lot of protein, and while the majority of jerky chews like shoe leather, I tough it out. Because mmmm, meat. When I saw Chef’s Cut Real Jerky Co. had Smoked Beef Chipotle Cracked Pepper Jerky that’s described as “premium meats smoked to tender perfection”, I knew I had to give ’em a try.’

Finally she finishes off with Golden Island’s Sriracha Pork Jerky: ‘Pork jerky! I’ve had beef and bison, but never pork. So I dug into this bag, curious…and hungry. The first piece out of the bag, and I got something that was stringy and thinly sliced. This is a jerky you’re gonna have to chew.’

Denise, a big fan of all things Willy Wonka since, like, forever, wasn’t sure what to expect from Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. ‘I went into the theater hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. What I got was a new spin on the tale, a wicked little treat packaged for today’s audiences with a screenplay that is closer to Dahl’s book. Let’s just say I breathed a sigh of relief.’

Craig has some strong opinions about a certain superhero movie from the ’90s: ‘Director Sam Raimi’s first big-budget mainstream offering (after the success of the first two Evil Dead films) is arguably the best comic book superhero movie not actually based on a comic book superhero: Darkman.

David travels back in time to the ’60s with Arthur Penn’s Alice’s Restaurant, the movie inspired by Arlo Guthrie’s famous story song “Alice’s Restaurant Masacree.” ‘Arthur Penn took the bare bones of Arlo’s story and fleshed it out: he added characters, and motivations, and events that were far from Guthrie’s original, but he came out of it with a full bodied, honest portrayal of life in the ’60s.’

Faith does a bang-up job of reviewing several of the early entries in Frank Beddor’s series that began with The Looking Glass Wars and spun off the related Hatter M series. She starts with the original story, of which she says ‘The Looking Glass Wars is a revisionist fairy tale. You know the sort of thing: “What if ‘insert name of story here’ was based on something that really happened?” In this case, the idea is that the Alice Liddell who inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass was really Alyss Heart, heir to the throne of Wonderland, who ended up in Victorian England through a series of bizarre events that I will not spoil by explaining here, and was adopted by the Liddell family.’

She follows up with the sequel, which focuses on the machinations of Alyss’s evil Aunt Redd: ‘Seeing Redd is darker and more adult than The Looking Glass Wars. It’s a tinge more violent, and the violence is somewhat more graphic. (Sacrenoir is somewhere past creepy, and Blister is disgusting.) Still no sex beyond a couple of kisses, though. The doggerels of war live up to their name, and Redd on an ATV is priceless. This is definitely a good read.’

The Looking Glass Wars trilogy is accompanied by a comic mini-series Hatter M, and Faith reviewed the eponymous first issue here. It turns out, she says, that ‘…Alyss’s parents were killed in a coup staged by her nasty Aunt Redd, poster-child of Dark Imagination. Queen Genevieve’s dying command to her loyal bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, was to save Alyss. Hatter M only partly succeeded. He managed to send both Alyss and himself to Earth, but they were separated during the journey.’

Finally, in Hatter M, Volume Two: Mad With Wonder, Alyss’s would-be bodyguard gets caught up in the U.S. Civil War. ‘Unbeknownst to poor Hatter M, Alyss is safe in England, being raised by the Liddell family and befriending Lewis Carroll. (The fact that Carroll later betrayed her is immaterial. During this period they were very close.)’

Craig welcomed the return to form of Norwegian death metal band Turbonegro with their album Retox. ‘Though the songs by Happy-Tom and Euroboy form the basis of the experience, it is Hank von Helvete’s vocals that truly carry the day, deftly riding the line between parody and tribute. Tongue firmly in cheek, Turbonegro crafts solid hard rock songs with a combination of wit and sincerity.’ Be warned, it’s an X-rated sort of sincerity!

David was highly entertained by Tommy James & the Shondells’ 40 Years: the Complete Singles Collection 1966-2006. ‘The first disc is packed with familiar tunes, all the original hits, and while I wish the extended version of “Crimson & Clover” was here, the single version is the one they were playing on the radio when it first came out. The production is perfect for car stereos. Man, they could mix records back in the ’60s and ’70s!’

He raved a bit about Shemekia Copeland’s Never Going Back. ‘She surrounds herself with a great band, including Oliver Wood, Arthur Neilsen and Marc Ribot on guitars; bassist Ted Pecchio; John Medeski and Ike Stubblefield on Hammond organ and Kofi Burbridge on Wurlitzer piano, she sings a dozen soulful numbers in a voice a bit higher and clearer than long time fans might be used to.’

Deborah takes a look at two somewhat related releases, Wake the Dead’s Blue Light Cheap Hotel and Camogie’s Celtic Americana. The former is a Grateful Dead tribute and the latter a Celtic flavored singer-songwriter disc. ‘The Dead covers on Blue Light Cheap Hotel run an interesting gamut of well-known to relatively obscure. They start with a cover of “Sugar Magnolia,” and I have to say, leading with this wasn’t the best choice. … Luckily, it picks up from there.’

Donna found the music on the Palestinian oud ensemble Le Trio Joubran’s Majaz “… hypnotic and mysterious. I imagined myself sitting in a coffee house somewhere in one of those ancient Middle Eastern cities (I thought of Damascus, but that’s just my current passion) with maybe a single barefoot dancer circulating around the room. I could almost smell the frankincense burning and see the candles flickering in the wall recesses.’

Gary says Ben Goldberg’s Everything Happens To Be., with a front line of Goldberg on clarinets and Ellery Eskelin on tenor saxophone, combines jazz ideas with a lot of experimentation. ‘That unexpected pairing of clarinet and tenor up front is what initially drew me to this release. It jumps right out at you from the very beginning on the opening track “What About.” It’s a long, slow, emotional work that plays with the form of klezmer and maybe even the idea of sevdalinka.’

Gary’s taken another stroll down memory lane. This time he gives us his take on what he considers a long forgotten gem, Michael Murphey’s third LP, simply titled Michael Murphey. ‘I have to confess that I first became aware of Murphey when nearly everybody else in the listening public did, with the release of his fourth album Blue Sky Night Thunder and its multi-platinum single “Wildfire.” It was a new sound at the time, a polished version of what we now call Americana, filled with lushly recorded, very romantic songs. When I started digging into his back catalog I realized the earlier, rougher albums were much more to my liking.’

From the archives, Gary takes a deep look at Tom Waits’ three-disc set Orphans: ‘These days, the typical Waits album contains three basic kinds of works: blues-based stomps, shouted out in a voice that sounds like Sasquatch gargling gravel, backed by clattering and banging vocal-beatbox percussion; slower, quieter, usually piano-based songs of romantic longing or innocence lost or destroyed; and … well, a mulligan stew of other stuff — spoken word pieces, poetry, noise experiments and curious instrumentals. For this set, those three types have each been given their own disc, subtitled Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards.

Scott unexpectedly found himself enjoying Ragnarok and Land, two albums from Týr, a group from the Faroe Islands that makes what they call “folk metal” music. ‘I can’t really say I’m much of a metal fan, and the first time I played Ragnarok I really didn’t know what to make of it. By the third or fourth listen, though, I was totally digging it. People who simply don’t like any heavy metal won’t embrace Týr, but there’s something to be said for any record that rocks hard and has depth at the same time.

This week’s What Not is another cutie from Folkmanis Puppets. Robert says: ‘The latest Folkmanis hand puppet to come my way is the Raccoon in a Garbage Can, which seems appropriate — garbage cans are one of raccoons’ favorite places. (Trust me — I know this from personal experience…)

There are bands for which I’ve a deep liking for pretty much everything they done and so it is with Chicago’s ‘Saturday in the Park’ which I’ve heard playing off and on over the past forty years. It’s certainly an upbeat, feel good summer song much like ‘Love Shack’ by the B-52s. It was recorded forty years ago this August at the Park West in Chicago.

The studio version was released on Chicago V in 1972 and peaked on the Billboard charts at number three which is bloody impressive. It was lovely enough that I’ve never gotten tired of it. But I’ve prattled on enough about it, so here’s the song for you to have the pleasure of hearing performed live.

The problem with sending messages was that people responded to them, which meant one had to write more messages in reply. — Arkady Martine’s  A Memory Called Empire

It is  pleasantly quiet here in the Green Man Pub on this summer morning so I’ve been reading Arkady Martine’s A Desolation Called Peace, the sequel to her Hugo Award winning A Memory Called Empire. I’m drinking our house cider and I’ve listening to the Penguin Cafe Orchestra playing ‘Music For A Found Harmonium’ on our sound system.

There’s a pig cooking over an applewood fire outside in the fire pit on the patio near the Pub which should be ready in a few hours. Plenty of other fare as well — earlier today I saw corn ready for roasting, German style potato salad, lots of cheeses, fat sausages, a coleslaw with poppy seed dressing and lots of other tasty foods. Not to mention lots of libations including of course ale and cider.

Indeed, I finished this edition earlier this week, so I too could take the day off. After you read this edition, join us on the Greensward for music, libations, food and other summery things.

Cat, our Editor in Chief, was pretty excited to review the ARC of Peter S. Beagle’s story collection The Line Between. ‘Reincarnated lovers, dead critics, an ambitious mouse, implacable assassins, kings that Lear himself could sympathize with, and sailors who discover that good luck might be quite a bit worse than no luck at all — there’s many a story here to entertain you!’ One of the stories, “Two Hearts,” a sequel to The Last Unicorn, won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award, so it apparently pleased other readers as well.’

He says for some time he’s been looking forward to a full length novel in P. Djèlí Clark’s Dead Djinn series set in an early 1900s alternative Cairo where magic has returned to the world. It’s now here in A Master of Djinn, which Cat enjoyed on audio. ‘Now let me be clear that this is a pulp story with a heroine who has her own sidekick and truly deliciously evil antagonists. The story starts fast, gets faster and never slows down.’

Deborah wasn’t sure at all she was going to like editor Mike Allen’s fantasy anthology Clockwork Phoenix, but it all worked out in the end. ‘It seems that Mike Allen started with the worst stories and built this edifice into a dizzying and satisfying end. It was definitely an anthology that necessarily folded out over time, best consumed slowly and intermittently rather than quickly.’

Donna got all wrapped up in Tasha Alexander’s A Poisoned Season, one of a series of late-Victorian murder mysteries featuring a young high-society widow, Lady Emily Ashton. ‘It’s a decent mystery, sufficiently challenging, with just enough red herrings tossed about to keep the reader wondering until the last few pages who did what and why. At just over three hundred pages, it’s also a bit longer than is typical of this genre. Of course it ends happily, but there was never any serious doubt about that.’

Then she got caught up on the doings of Lady Emily in two more offerings by Tasha Alexander, A Fatal Waltz and Tears of Pearl. The former, she says, ‘… opens at one of those dreadful hunting parties members of the British upper class used to hold at their country estates.’ In the latter, Lady Emily and her new husband board the Orient Express for a honeymoon in Constantinople. ‘Alexander does a reasonably good job of portraying the distinctive topography, buildings, marketplaces, food, and general ambiance of Constantinople at this point in time, although I would say not as good a job as she did with Vienna in A Fatal Waltz.’

Gary says Martha Wells’ Fugitive Telemetry novella is another top-notch entry in her Murderbot Diaries series. ‘Martha Wells is making a lot of points in this splendid series. But [the] need for doing the legal, ethical, philosophical, etc., heavy lifting in advance is a big one. Of course The Murderbot Diaries is also about workers’ rights, late stage capitalism, PTSD and other psychological maladies, humans’ capacity for doing the wrong thing, and feelings. Especially feelings.’

Jack says ‘Jane Yolen tackles much here: the older material takes on subjects ranging from the double helix of teller and tale, tough magic, the gift of language, and the nature of once upon a time. The new section, according to Jane in her new preface, is six essays in which she converses ’bout the most important classics of children’s fantasy, i.e., the books of Beatrix Potter, her attempt to define what a story is, the morality of fairy tales, and other juicy subjects. There’s enough good — and meaningful — reading here to keep one reading for many a cold winters night. Having been admonished by one writer this week for giving too much away in my reviews, I’ll think let you discover just how wonderful Touch Magic is!’

In looking at The Time Quartet, Naomi has a confession to make: ‘As far as I am concerned, Madeleine L’Engle’s books should be required reading in all schools, as they open doors — not only in the imagination, but also in the academics, math and science especially. These wonderful tales could inspire the next Einstein to take the proper courses and feed his mind. I enjoyed the journeys that Mrs. L’Engle’s works took me on, and yet, I am saddened by the fact that I never read them as a child. I will rectify this mistake by introducing my own children to them posthaste!’

Steven Brust, a musician himself, brings us, in collaboration with Megan Lindholm, The Gypsy, which — well, as Robert puts it: ‘There are three brothers who have become separated. They are the Raven, the Owl, and the Dove. Or perhaps they are Raymond, Daniel, and Charlie. They are probably Baroly, Hollo, and Csucskari. One plays the fiddle, one plays tambourine, and one has a knife with a purpose.’ There’s a lot more to it, of course, so check it out.

He next came up with a series that is quintessential space opera, with a twist: C. J. Cherryh’s The Chanur Saga, including Chanur’s Homecoming, and the sequel, Chanur’s Legacy: ‘C. J. Cherryh’s The Chanur Saga is an almost-omnibus edition of her tetralogy about Pyanfar Chanur and her ship, the interstellar trader The Pride of Chanur. Because of length, the “omnibus” volume contains the first three in the series . . . , and one would be well-advised to be sure that Chanur’s Homecoming, issued separately, is within easy reach, lest one be left hanging off a cliff.’

Warner leads off with this novel: ‘A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a wonderfup read, and Becky Chambers a treasure for giving it to us. It will keep a reader comfortable, give them a nice warm feeling and something to think upon. This little volume is heartily recommended, and the fact it is likely to continue as a series represents a rare bright spot in a genre so often dim.’

Next he says ‘Overall Marjorie Liu’s The Tanglewood Palace is a nice collection, and features excellent stories by an author who knows her craft well. It is of course easy to recommend to fans of her work; however it can be heartily recommended to those with only a vague curiosity about her. Stories in this volume evoke everyone from William Goldman to Tanya Huff, from Hayao Miyazaki to Kevin Smith, and do so with almost poetic ease.’

Up next for him is a short story collection: ‘O Henry’s 101 Stories is the Library of America’s volume collecting works by that American master of the short story. Included are many of the man’s most famous tales, such as “Gift of the Magi” and “The Ransom of Red Chief”. It also includes many lesser known works.’

Finally he looks at a book that’s a little bit mystery, a little bit thriller, and a bit of police procedural, too. ‘Deep Into the Dark is P.J. Tracy’s first volume in a new series following LAPD detective Margaret Nolan. It is more on the thriller side of the equation than the traditional mystery, with a quick moving plot and a cast of colorful characters.’

Denise dips into a funky offering from Terrapin Beer Company: Dancing Gummy Beer Hemp Cherry Berliner Weisse. If that’s got you thinking of music and…edibles…you’re not alone. ‘This beer is A Lot, y’all. Hemp + cherries + Weißbier? Deeeeeam. Get ready, as that hemp comes straight at you as soon as you pop the top. I immediately wanted to turn on some Grateful Dead and change into my tie-dye.’

Many years ago Jennifer decided to throw a pig roast. The most helpful online sources for a pig roast in the upper Midwest climate suggested that, “if you see what looks like a bunch of drunks standing around a trash fire by the side of the road, it’s a pig roast, you’re invited, pull over. As long as you bring your own liquor.” Another fine source, who does it not the way Jennifer does, is David Whitfield at Mississippi State University .

To do it the way Jennifer and her hubby do it, look here.  It’s surprisingly easy, once you have all the gear, the pig, and seventy-five close friends who bring their own beer.

Kage says ‘With The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, alas, the malign gods were paying attention and behaving not unlike Terry Pratchett’s Auditors, practically warping time and space to mess with Terry Gilliam. They failed to ruin the film — Munchausen is magnificent, and a fitting conclusion to the Trilogy of the Imagination — but they ruined everything they could, to such an extent that Munchausen is unfairly and incorrectly called one of the most expensive disasters in cinema history.’

She was, as many of you know author of  The Company series featuring  time traveling cyborg immortals who loved chocolate, so it’s no wonder she liked this film: ‘Blessed with a cast that included Sir Ralph Richardson as the Supreme Being, David Warner as Evil, and Sean Connery as King Agamemnon (and a fireman), Time Bandits is a classic magical adventure story in the mold of E. Nesbit’s books, but with an updated edge and a sharper sense of humor. Unlike most candy-coated parables handed out to kids, it tells no lies and ends in a brutal and surprisingly exhilarating way.’

April has a look at the opening salvo in a not-run-of-the-mill graphic novel series, The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite: ‘Part steam punk, part superhero comic and all attitude, Umbrella Academy is the brainchild of rock front man Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance). The titular “academy” is actually a group of oddly powered kids, raised by an eccentric space alien masquerading as an entrepreneur known for his work with chimpanzees.’

Robert follows up with his take on the second volume, The Umbrella Academy: Dallas: ‘The story is rather fragmented, but does draw together into a coherent narrative focusing on the assassination of JFK — eventually. But first there’s a dog race (Number 5 loses heavily), a trip back to 1963, a short interlude in Heaven, and a stint in Vietnam before everyone winds up where they’re supposed to be.’

‘I remember David Bromberg from years ago,’ David says. ‘He wrote a song with George Harrison, he played guitar for Bob Dylan, the Eagles, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson and the Grateful Dead. In memory he was one of those flash acoustic guitar players, but a pretty lousy singer.’ So what did he think of the archival release by the David Bromberg Quartet of Live, New York City 1982?

Gary has a look at Treasure of Love from The Flatlanders, three fellas who get together about once a decade to record a new album. ‘This is Texas country music done right. Actually the album is pretty much a showcase of the subgenre, from Tex Ritter and Ernest Tubb to Townes Van Zandt and Mickey Newbury, and some Texas style takes on some musicians from elsewhere, like Leon Russell (who grew up next door in Oklahoma), Johnny Cash, George Jones, one Robert Dylan (honest, that’s how he’s credited), and New York native country-folk singer Paul Siebel.’

Gary was smitten by a new release from Smithsonian Folkways, Joseph Spence’s Encore: Unheard Recordings of Bahamian Guitar and Singing. ‘Island music, folk music, gospel, a bit of the blues and more, Joseph Spence rolled them all into his utterly unique music. It’s otherworldly yet accessible. I promise you, you won’t hear anything else like Joseph Spence’s Encore this year.’

Gary reviews The Indian Bansuri, a recording by Pandit Ronu Majumdar, a globally renowned, Grammy nominated, multiple award winning player of the bansuri flute of Hindustani classical music. ‘I truly can’t write knowledgeably about Hindustani music, but I’m a fan and know what I like. And I like Ronu Majumdar’s The Indian Bansuri very much indeed.’

Gary’s been feeling a bit nostalgic, so he penned this review of Gordon Lightfoot’s Don Quixote, which he says has been one of his favorites since it came out in 1972. ‘I probably listened to it nearly exclusively for several weeks, and to this day as we near its 50th anniversary I can still sing along with every song and even sing most of them without the record going. It’s one of the classic albums of the era that I play most often even today.’

Michael found a couple of 2008 releases from Fairport Convention – Live At Cropredy ’08 and Fame and Glory – were revelatory of the band’s prowess at that point in time. ‘Taken together, both albums show a couple of important aspects to the current Fairport Convention. They salute their past music and members on the Cropredy CD, and rediscover some long lost highlights from their previous repertoire, adjusted easily to fit the band as it is now. On Fame and Glory, they show how they can adapt to the work of other composers as well.’

Mike had mixed feelings about Solas’s For Love And Laughter. After greatly enjoying the opening reel set, he says: ‘This invigorating four minutes will leave you on the edge of your seat with anticipation of the roller-coaster ride that is to follow. And that was the problem for me — the roller coaster has a tendency to come off the tracks on a number of occasions after this opening number.’

Peter has good words to say about Irish guitarist Daithi Sproule’s The Crow In The Sun. ‘If the sound of an acoustic guitar beautifully played turns you on, then this is the album for you. Daithi Sproule is a superb artist and has a style of playing that would leave other lesser guitarists (including me) in awe.’

Robert takes us on another adventure at Chicago’s Field Museum — and quite an adventure it is, as we find ourselves Traveling the pacific: ‘The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on the planet, at its widest stretching about 11,000 miles across — almost half the diameter of the earth. This is just one of the fun facts that lead into the Field Museum’s exhibit “Traveling the Pacific”.’

I’ll show you out you with yet more Penguin Cafe Music, to wit ‘Numbers 1 – 4’ recorded at the Glastonbury Festival near Summer Solstice twenty-seven years ago.

He never raised his voice. That was the worst thing. The fury of the Time Lord. And then we discovered why. Why this Doctor who had fought with gods and demons, why he’d run away from us and hidden. He was being kind. — Doctor Who’s ‘ The Family of Man’

I’m a long term fan of British writer Simon R. Green and am very pleased to be reading a galley of his Jekyll and Hyde Inc. novel, the first in a new series. It’s one of  two new series he’s writing, the other being his Gideon Sable series. These series come as he’s wrapped up two of his long running running series, the Nightside and Secret Histories series, both of which got wrapped up in the Night Fall novel.

We’ve decided to share some of our ale reviews this time as Gary had a review of a good dark beer he just discovered, so I dug deep into the Archives and added some of the other ales we’ve tasted and written notes on, and added two books on American beers as well.

Cat has a small treat for us: ‘Neil Gaiman’s “How The Marquis Got His Coat Back” is a fun appetiser of a story though it really should be put back into Neverwhere: The Author’s Preferred Text where it really belongs instead as an appendix at the end, or as a separate audio story, as it’s really just a chapter within that greater story. It’s wonderfully played here by the cast of Paterson Joseph, Bernard Cribbins, Samantha Beart, Adrian Lester, Mitch Benn and Don Warrington with a special appearance by Neil Gaiman as he always does in his radio productions.’

He next has a collection with an an interesting premise: ‘Now we can add to the list of great Sf and fantasy pub tales  this Larry Niven collection, The Draco Tavern, which collects all of the previously printed Draco Tavern tales, with a few new pieces thrown in for a bit of value added like all the extras we get on DVDs these days.‘

Gary read recent editions of the first and third novels of Iain M. Banks’s Culture series , Consider Phlebas and Use of Weapons. It wasn’t the first time he’d read them, but he still found both gripping, as he says in his dual review.

Gary also reviews a book of literary criticism about the Culture series. He says Simone Caroti’s The Culture Series ‘is valuable reading for anyone who wants to move into a deeper understanding of what that series is really about, where it stands in the history of SF and literature, and why it’s important.’

We don’t like all books that we read and review. Really. Truly. And Jack proves that here: ‘I’m a fiddler. I like Steven Brust. I love most any novel with folk music as a theme, particularly when musicians are the characters. So why the fuck did I find Cowboy Feng’s Space Bar and Grill to be not even worth finishing? Good question — and one that I will answer in some detail. Perhaps more detail than this badly written novel deserves.’

One of my fave Summer reads gets a look-see by Mia, a Charles de Lint novel to be precise: ‘Seven Wild Sisters advertises itself as a modern fairy tale. Including the seven sisters, it certainly has all the trappings: an old woman who may be a witch, an enchanted forest, a stolen princess. But Sisters is not just borrowing the clothes of fairy tale. It sings with the true voice of fairy tale: capricious, wild, and not entirely safe, but rich and enchanting.’

Michael has the first in a truly literary series, Jasper Fforde’s The Eyre Affair: ‘Enter a world where things are very, very different. Where in 1985, Britain is a virtual police state, engaged in border wars with the People’s Republic of Wales, and well into the 131st year of the Crimean War. Where all told, thirty divisions of Special Operations take care of business, everything from Neighborly Disputes (SO-30) to Art Crime (SO-24) to Weird Stuff (SO-2) and Weirder Stuff (SO-3), to ChronoGuard (SO-12) and Internal Affairs (SO-1). Thursday Next is part of the Literary Detectives (SO-27).  Her beat: manuscripts, forgeries, literary crimes, and keeping tabs on Britain’s national treasures, including the much-beloved first editions of Dickens, Swift, Shakespeare, Austen and the Brontes.’

Naomi is a big fan of Fred Saberhagen, including his series that incorporates elements of Greek mythology: ‘I’ve enjoyed reading Fred Saberhagen’s novels for almost twenty years now. He is very talented, having the ability to breathe life into the worlds which he creates, worlds which become, for all intents and purposes, real, and which many of us would love to live in, no matter the dangers to be found there. His new series, Book of the Gods, which begins with this book The Face of Apollo, is highly imaginative and thought-provoking.

Other entries in this series Naomi reviewed include Ariadne’s Web, The Arms of Hercules, and God of the Golden Fleece.

Meanwhile, Rebecca reviewed another offering from the prolific Mr. Saberhagen, Merlin’s Bones, and we … think … she liked it. ‘Saberhagen tells his story well. It is full of action, suspense, and magic. (There are also instructions on how to fight trolls, which some of you may find helpful.) There are many surprises in this novel; some of which I guessed long before they were revealed, but one which truly startled me.’

And then there’s a book about a baseball game which lasted  almost as long as a cricket test match, which is reviewed by Richard: ‘Bottom of the 33rd, as scribed by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dan Barry. The book is his ode to the longest baseball game ever played in an organized league, a 33 inning behemoth staged between the AAA Rochester Red Wings and Pawtucket PawSox in 1981. Playing third base for the Red Wings that day was a guy everyone agreed was too big to play shortstop: Cal Ripken Jr. His opposite number for the PawSox was Wade Boggs. Mixed in with these two all-time greats were a few quality players (Bruce Hurst, Bobby Ojeda, Rich Gedman), some journeymen and cup-of-coffee types, and of course the guys who never made it at all.’

Robert brings us two reviews of works that also occupy places outside of what we’ve come to expect in fantasy and science fiction. The first is Octavia E. Butler’s Parables series: ‘The late Octavia E. Butler is one of those science fiction writers whose work can — and does — stand easily in the company of the very best “mainstream” literature being produced today. She is, I regret to say, another one whose novels I am only just discovering, and at this point I can’t think why I waited so long to investigate her writing: she wrote with power and authority and was one of those writers who brought the formal and stylistic tools of literary fiction into the service of some of the best genre writing available.’

He follows that with Butler’s Lilith’s Brood: ‘Octavia E. Butler, at the time of her emergence as a major voice in science fiction, was a rarity because she was a woman and she was African-American. In neither area was she unique, but the combination was. Lilith’s Brood, also known as Xenogenesis, has been called Butler at her best and for that reason alone would deserve a close look. There are, however, many reasons to look at these books closely, because they raise so many issues and operate on so many levels.’

Robert also reviewed Dark Jenny: ‘What do you get when you mix the legend of King Arthur with the detective fiction of Raymond Chandler? It seems you come up with Alex Bledsoe’s stories of Eddie LaCrosse, sometime mercenary soldier, sometime hardboiled detective.’ In this novel, he’s in the wrong castle, a situation not uncommon for him.

Warner leads off his reviews with an SF story: ‘J.S. Dewes’ The Last Watch is the first novel in a planned series which combines an imperial setting with the far future in familiar manner, and as a result Dewes needs more to distinguish her work. Fortunately good plotting and an enjoyable set of elements and characters go a long way towards drawing reader interest.

Next up is a neat sounding mystery: ‘Col. David Fits-Enz’s The Spy on Putney Bridge: A Mystery Novel of Espionage, Murder, and Betrayal in London is a fascinating use of the mixture of family history, wartime spy thriller, and crime novel. The result is a fast moving novel that nonetheless spans decades, and a steadily twisting bit of intrigue that is believable and difficult to assess in equal measure.’

A nifty set of short stories wraps up his reviewing: ‘Isabel Yap’s Never Have I Ever is a wonderful collection of clever and inventive stories. Ranging in genre from fantasy to horror to weird, Yap has a style that will remind readers of authors like Yolen and Blume at times.’

Great beer, good food. Chris reviews a book that bring them together: ‘Garrett Oliver is the Brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery. His hefty tome, The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food, is part brewing history, part culinary advice column, part travelogue and all useful information for anyone with an interest in (a) eating, (b) drinking, or (c) both. In other words, anyone whose health does not require absolute abstinence from alcohol in any form.’

Denise takes a sip of two non-alcoholic brews: BrewDog Elvis AF and BrewDog Punk AF. Besides the nice play on acronyms, what’s she got to say? Well, for Elvis, ‘[t]his beer is A Lot, y’all. Hemp + cherries + Weißbier? Deeeeeam. Get ready, as that hemp comes straight at you as soon as you pop the top.’ For its cousin Punk, ‘…there’s a whole lot for hop-lovers to enjoy here. At 0.5% alcohol and 37 calories – no that calorie count isn’t a typo – brew snobs? Get ready to be shocked and amazed.’ Read her reviews to find out why beer lovers should give these a try!

‘I’ve always enjoyed a good dark beer, even when here in the States that meant the dark lagers you’d occasionally find at a pizza parlor,’ Gary says. ‘Finally in the late ’80s or early ’90s you could get Guinness’s stout in most places, and since then with the craft beer revolution you can get a decent porter or stout in just about any pub you find.’ Read his review of Block 15’s The London Chronicle, a London-style porter, to see what he thinks about this particular brew.

The history of beer is, if nothing else, tasty. And that’s why I’m offering you this review as done by Kelly of a Russian River Brewing Company release: ‘Wandering through my neighborhood grocery store on a Saturday afternoon, I came across a wine tasting. “What the heck!” I said to myself and sauntered up to the guy with the wine glasses. I was chatting pleasantly with a couple sipping next to me when the male part of the party stopped a young man in an apron walking by and asked if they had any Pliny the Elder in the back. The young man scowled, but said he would bring one. My fellow taster boldly asked for a second bottle for his wife and received another black look.’

He notes that he greatly expanded his appreciation of beer by reading one particular guide: ‘even with my recent development of my palate to include dark ales and porters and bitters and IPAs (but not quite stouts; I just can’t get into those), I never really knew the difference between a lager and an ale until I read Ken Wells’s book Travels with Barley: A Journey Through Beer Culture in America.’

Camille, while basically live-blogging it, has a good time skewering Robert Zemeckis’s Beowulf, in which a lot of Vikings get, well, skewered: ‘The gore is considerably more graphic than the sex. Lots of thane-bodies flying around, pierced and skewered on random sharp spikes conveniently incorporated into the feast hall decor. And another! And another! Right through the mead-gut. These guys must’ve seen that all spikes home decorating special issue of Metropolitan Home.’

Joseph was impressed by James Cameron’s popular SF film Avatar … up to a point. ‘While Cameron is a great story teller, the story he tells is not that great. Avatar retells the classic cowboys versus Indians or, more accurately but lesser known, US Marines versus Hawaiians. All the right tropes of the American mythological landscape appear. All the expected morals play out sans a challenging twist to make a viewer reflect.’

April has mixed feelings about Fables Vol. 8, Wolves. ‘This eighth installment of Bill Willingham’s long-running series of fairy tale characters alive and well in our world (and at war with a fierce Adversary) finds Mowgli of Jungle Book fame still hunting down the Big Bad Wolf on behalf of Prince Charming, embattled mayor of Fabletown.’

And Cat’s ready to break out the champagne for the 75th issue of Fables: ‘I don’t recall us ever reviewing a single issue of an ongoing series, nor do our master review indexes — as maintained by our Library staff — show that we have done so. So why the seventy-fifth issue of Fables? What makes it worth reviewing? Oh, damn near everything in it is worth talking about, particularly given that it ends a story line that has run for the entire seventy-fifty issues of this groundbreaking series.’

Richard feel sorry for the hero of Brian Azzarello & Victor Santos’s Filthy Rich, in spite of the lovely boss’ daughter: ‘Pity the protagonist of noir fiction. Because he dwells in that world of dangerous dames, brawny gangsters and flashy period cars — not to mention impressive and stylish men’s hats — he does not have the opportunity to read noir, to learn its basic tenets and thus avoid falling into its most commonplace traps.’

Big Earl has something to say about Sleepy LaBeef’s Rockabilly Blues, an archival release from one of the greats of the early era of rock ‘n’ roll. ‘Sleepy LaBeef was the last artist that the original Sun Records (of Elvis fame) promoted in the 1950s. Bridging the gap between Presley and Chuck Berry, LaBeef continues to be the real bridge between country and the blues, the true king of Rockabilly.’

David dug into the trove of 21st century reissues put out by the great Memphis soul label Stax, for a couple of cool reviews. ‘Stax Records re-introduced itself to the world with a series of brilliant retrospective CDs celebrating their long history.’ First up is his look at Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere’s Nudge It Up a Notch, and Eddie Floyd’s Eddie Loves You So. Then he dives head first into two collections, Soulsville Sings Hitsville, and Stax Does the Beatles.

David waxes enthusiastic about Maria Muldaur’s 35th album, a collection of protest songs called Yes We Can! ‘This is a beautifully constructed, wonderfully played collection, and it’s as funky as all get out. Gotta love it! And, if it inspires just a few people to work toward making this world a better place, then Maria will have done her job.’

Donna listened closely to a couple of discs from the estimable label GO’ Danish Folk Music – one of which she liked a lot, the other not so much. Of Kristine Heebol’s 10 Point, she says, ‘This is a charming, highly listenable CD. My only complaint is that it’s just over 40 minutes long. You’ve barely gotten into it and it ends!’ Of the latter … ‘Henrik Jansberg’s Omnivor is a whole other kettle of fish, if you know what I mean.’ Read her review for the full story.

‘Marc Ribot is the guitarist you go to if you want someone whose choices will never be formulaic or expected,’ Gary says, by way of introducing Hope, a new album from Ribot’s trio Ceramic Dog. ‘His Ceramic Dog noise rock trio is a vehicle for some of the most experimental of this highly experimental artist’s works (and also one where he employs his voice in addition to his prodigious guitar skills).’

Gary also reviews Happy Again, an album of sad songs by Bill and the Belles, which doesn’t have anybody named Bill in it. How’s that? ‘Happy Again … is an excellent showcase for Bill and the Belles that deserves attention outside this group’s home base. It’s fun music on themes ranging from silly to serious, and it synthesizes a wide swath of American styles from jazz to bluegrass and beyond.’

Gary enjoyed a new album from a new group, two young musicians who play accordion and violin from Spain’s Celtic region, Galicia. ‘Galician music has long been a favorite in my household, and it’s good to know it’s in good hands of yet another generation of enthusiastic and capable musicians. Caamaño & Ameixeira’s Aire! is a real winner.’

Gary also reviews two new collections in the Naxos World series Folk Music of China. Of Vol. 13: Songs of the Tibetan Plateau, he notes, ‘It’s a bit different from those I’ve reviewed so far, in that its selections include some pop songs based on traditional and folk music, as well as pop instrumentation on most of the tracks, which purport to be traditional songs.’

And of Vol. 14: Songs Of The Tibetan Plateau – Monba and Lhoba Peoples, he says ‘This one has songs from the Monba and Lhoba peoples, ethnic groups who live around the border with India. Both are farming, herding and hunting peoples traditionally, with only small populations of about 10,000 of the Monba and about one-third as many of the Lhoba people.’

Mike has something to say about Thinkers & Fools, the second album by UK singer-songwriter Darren Black. ‘Everything about Thinkers & Fools is likeable. Black’s lyrics are thought provoking and reflective; the instrumental arrangements are accomplished but never intrusive.’

Mike also reviews U.S. singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan’s Just Another Town. ‘Johnny Duhan is one of the few songwriters who can move me to tears with just one well-placed, exquisitely written line. This 2007 release contains countless such lines. The title track of this album alone stands tall as an absolute masterpiece of song writing; Duhan takes a blank canvas and fills it line by line with the rich and vivid imagery of the buildings and characters that make up “Just Another Town.” ‘

Happy Pride everyone! Cheers to all our guys, gals and non-binary pals! Denise, your friendly neighborhood graysexual, here. And I hope you’ve been having the very best month ever, or at least the very best month since lockdown. And to help with that, I’ll be reviewing two Pride-esque (it’s a word; I just made it up) brews for everyone to enjoy.

First off, I dove into The Stone Wall Inn IPA by Brooklyn Brewery. It’s in honor of The Stonewall Inn, a place – and perhaps THE place – where LGBTQIA+ activism started. Heck, I dig it for the rainbow can alone, though the brew is pretty darn good as well. ‘It’s the official beer of The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, and that makes my wee heart go pitter-pat with joy.’ So read my review, already!

Next on the agenda is one big mouthful of a beer name, which is apt for one big mouthful of a beer. Devils Backbone Wine Barrel Aged Glitter Bomb fits into the sour category, but doesn’t make me feel like I need to call my gastroenterologist after I’ve finished the bottle. Plus, with a name like Glitter Bomb, I had to share it with you. ‘And though smooth won’t be a word folks call the citric acid-y punch Bomb delivers, it’s much more drinkable than the sours I’ve tried in the past. … I want to enjoy my pours, and Bomb is something I enjoy.’

Intrigued? Well, I hate to shill for my own reviews, but give it a look and see if you’ll want to add either of these – or both – to your Pride month wrap-up party. 

So let’s take our leave of each other this time with some spritely music in the form of  ‘Love Shack’ by the B-52s whose only official live recording got reviewed by Cat: ‘If you’re a fan of the band, you’ll definitely want Live! 8.24.1979, because official live recordings of this band are scarce. The liner notes are both informative and entertaining — kudos to Real Gone Music for these. Oh and ‘Rock Lobster’ is wonderful played live!’ Alas the Live! 8.24.1979 recording predates ‘Love Shack’ so you’ll need to enjoy it here instead! It’s a feel good summertime song that’s guaranteed to give you an earworm for days after you hear it.  The ‘Love Shack’ I have for you to enjoy was recorded  in Atlanta sometime in 2001.

She wanted to apologize again, but how many times could she repeat empty words without becoming empty herself?  ― Aliette de Bodard’s On a Red Station, Drifting

I’ve been listening to Laurie Anderson’s Life On A String recording this fine late Spring afternoon as I do paperwork in the Library. I saw her once eight years ago at the Edinburgh Festival who’d commissioned a new work from her, and also decades back down London way. I’ve always lusted after her electric blue violin which is one of the coolest instruments I’ve ever encountered. Not to mention amazing sounding.

I just finished breakfast. I always drink tea as I never developed a taste for coffee no matter how good that I’m told it is. So it was lapsang souchong, a loose leaf first blush smoked black tea from Ceylon. With a splash of cream of course. And there was a rare surprise for breakfast too — apple fritters served with thick cut twice smoked bacon, using apple wood only, and yet more apples in the form of cinnamon and nutmeg infused apple sauce. There was even mulled cider for those wanting even more apples in their breakfast fare! Thus fortified, I’m now turning to writing the edition for this week…

Cat leads our book reviews off with a look at the Sandman audio drama: ‘It’s hard work to adapt the Sandman graphic series to another medium, but I’ll say that Audible, with the participation of the author as the narrator, has done it most excellently. It’s a full cast production with the usual exceedingly high production value that I’ve come to expect from Audible. This is the second Gaiman audio drama that I’ve listened to lately as I experienced the recent BBC production of Neverwhere as well, which I highly recommend.  And I recommend this as well, as long as you’ve got a strong stomach, as this is a dark fantasy with more than a touch of horror.’

Somehow we missed doing a full review of a major work by Charles de Lint despite doing an edition on him a decade or so ago and reviewing pretty much everything he’s written or performed. Well, Robert rectified that some years back: ‘Moonheart may very well be the first novel by Charles de Lint that I ever read. I can’t really say for sure — it’s been awhile. It certainly is one that I reread periodically, a fixture on my “reread often” list. It contains, in an early form, all the magic that keeps us coming back to de Lint. (And be reminded that Charles de Lint may very well be the creator of what we call “urban fantasy” — he was certainly one of the first to combine contemporary life and the stuff of myth.)’

Denise is happy as a pig in … well … about Anthony Bourdain’s The Nasty Bits, a collection of previously published articles edited into book form. ‘Readers who are familiar with his other books, or who have seen No Reservations, will be glad to know that his trademarks are well represented here. His love of the Ramones, the Stooges and Manhattan, his history with coke and heroin, and his ability to drink like seven sailors are mentioned throughout this collection, whenever it might be relevant or enlightening to the topic at hand.’

Donna reviews Isabel Allende’s novel Zorro, in which Allende provides the backstory to the titular character of a popular television show from the 1950s. Reading the book sent Donna down a bit of a rabbit hole that led her to early 20th century pulp fiction, Disney Productions, a recent Antonio Banderas movie, and musings about Batman. Join her, won’t you?

Gary says the Istanbul of Ian McDonald’s near-future novel The Dervish House is rather like what our own world could be very soon: ‘…hotter, more crowded, with an even starker divide between rich and poor, and teeming with technology. … It’s also brimming with Anatolian spirits that sometimes seem indistinguishable from the effects of nano-technology.’

Another Macdonald novel garners this comment from Grey: ‘Today, I picked up King of Morning, Queen of Day again just to refresh my memory before writing this review. After all, it doesn’t do to refer to a book’s main character as Jennifer if her name is actually Jessica. But my quick brush-up turned into a day-long marathon of fully-engaged, all-out reading. I’ve been on the edge of my seat, I’ve been moved to tears, I’ve laughed, I’ve marked passages that I want to quote.’

Mia liked … some … parts of Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. But as a whole? Not so much. ‘What could have been a marvelous and inspired culinary journey turns out to be a drug-addled literary meander. There are some fascinating stories here but it requires a dedicated reader to filter them out of the sludge.’

Richard looks at a novel from a beloved writer: ‘Peter S. Beagle’s Summerlong is an exercise in masterful, hopeful heartbreak. Deeply steeped in mythology yet relentlessly modern (if a bit sentimental), it tackles the big questions of love, compromise, dreams, and what you might do – or forgive – in the face of the sublime.’

Robert has some some tasty poetry for us: ‘Born in 1942 in New York City, Billy Collins has published numerous collections and garnered, among other recognition, fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Foundation. He is possibly one of the most widely exposed of living poets. Questions About Angels, originally published in 1991, was selected by Edward Hirsch for the National Poetry Series and has been reissued by the University of Pittsburgh Press.’

He follows up with another tasty collection, The Complete Poems of Cavafy: ‘Modern Greece has produced an amazing body of literature including works by such luminaries as Nikos Kazantzakis, George Seferis, and others. One of the most significant members of this select community is the poet Constantine Cavafy.’

Speaking of Isabel Allende, Tabatha has some issues with Allende’s first YA novel, City of the Beasts, but gives it an overall positive review. ‘Allende maintains a quick pace throughout the book, which should appeal to younger readers. She makes learning about another culture interesting: young readers will probably enjoy watching Alexander adapt to another culture – for instance, from being a fairly picky eater to being willing to try new, even unappealing foods.’

Warner starts off with a bio of the James Bond author: ‘Oliver Buckton’s The World is not Enough: A Biography of Ian Fleming joins a crowded field in an effort to produce something interesting. There have been a number of past biographical pieces on Fleming, ranging from short articles to long books. The deep dive this volume takes from a point of view for biography and life, as literary influence does much to set this volume up on its own strengths.’

Next he has review of J. North Conway’s Crime Time: Twenty True Tales of Murder, Madness, and Mayhem which he says ‘is a nice little volume taking a quick peek into a number of cases that, with or without a conviction, have both an interesting course of events and an interesting outcome.’

Up next from him is some general fiction: ‘Overall this is a nice collection from Alaya Dawn Johnson, with powerful and often mournful materials contained within. It is easy to recommend to readera whom enjoy the subject matter, and certainly the title story is recommended true fans of historical genre work. Reconstruction should be an easy yes for a tempted reader.’

Vosges Haut-Chocolat, say April, isn’t your usual chocolate: ‘Applewood bacon, alderwood smoked salt, hickory smoked almonds, plus guajillo and pasilla chilis – oh my! This exotic selection of ingredients are just a few of the flavor surprises in store for chocolate aficionados, such as myself, when they reach for a Vosges candy bar. Definitely not your garden variety chocolates here.’

Gary went a long way for this treat: ‘On a recent vacation (or “holiday”) trip in New Zealand’s South Island, we were doing some grocery shopping before hitting the road for our next destination. We’d already picked up a couple of bags of Cadbury Jaffas to take home as candy mementos, and were looking for something else unique and representative of Kiwi candy culture. These RJ’s Licorice Choc Twists immediately jumped out out me.’

Chocolove’s Coffee Crunch in Dark Chocolate pleased Leona: ‘I enjoyed it, however, and found the slight sweetness of the dark chocolate matched wonderfully with the bitter coffee pieces. I don’t know that I’d shell out for another bar anytime soon -– the taste does tend to stick with you for days afterwards -– but I’d definitely give it as a gift to another coffee and dark chocolate fan.’

Rebecca watches Constantine and has a question as a result of doing so: ‘Anybody who reads DC’s Vertigo line of comics will be familiar with him: a trench-coated Sting look-alike with a Liverpuddlian accent, a Silk Cut cigarette dangling from his lip, a hoard of dead friends, and a problem with authority. John Constantine is one of the world’s finest occultists, and in the war between Heaven and Hell, he’s firmly on the side of humanity. He’s a smart-ass, a former punk rocker, a man who can spit in the devil’s eye and get away with it (seriously: he once tricked Lucifer into drinking holy water). I wish someone would explain to me how Keanu Reeves got cast as John Constantine?’

Rebecca says ‘I’ve now been immersed in Sandman and Gaiman for a solid month. Reading and reviewing all ten volumes, plus one, doing my research in The Sandman Companion and on Neil’s Web site, picking up Jill Thompson’s Death manga digest, finally reading Adventures in the Dream Trade and watching Neverwhere (and, apparently, volunteering to review it), and participating in collaborative fan fiction (and Neil points to the ongoing saga there when he’s asked about good fanfic), I feel a bit like the narrator at the end of Milne’s Once on a Time. Now I can take all of those volumes off of my desk, where they’ve stood as a rampart between me and the world, behind which I’ve lived in far-off lands and days, surrounded by dreams.’

Christopher was pleasantly surprised by a 1956 field recording of Mrs. Etta Baker and her family and friends, Instrumental Music of the Southern Appalachians. ‘The recording quality is exceptionally good considering how roughly and how long ago the tunes were taped, and it is worth reflecting on how the trend in much of today’s folk music has reverted back to the raw, driving style found in these recordings. The standard of performance is very high, the tunes a good selection of dances and song melodies.’

David liked a reissue of some early country rock recordings by Chris Darrow titled Chris Darrow / Under My Own Disguise. ‘There’s a real rootsy quality to this stuff, as if Mike Seeger was his mentor — all folky and string band-oriented. And that’s a good thing. … Acoustic guitar strums and Darrow’s very southern California voice, then steel guitar and the rhythm section, and some harmonies lift Darrow right into the era of the Byrds and the Burritos.’

David has some more reissues, this time two albums by Bobbie Gentry that followed her megahit single ‘Ode To Billy Joe.’ ‘What was it that Billy Joe McCallister threw off the Tallahatchie Bridge? Who knows? Who cares? Bobbie Gentry had clearly moved past those questions when she recorded these albums. They are filled with a commercialized swampy funk.’

Donna had a mixed reaction to a couple of CDs from a Danish folk music label. She liked Kristine Heebol’s 10 Point: ‘This is a charming, highly listenable CD. My only complaint is that it’s just over 40 minutes long. You’ve barely gotten into it and it ends!’ The other one, not so much: ‘Henrik Jansberg’s Omnivor is a whole other kettle of fish, if you know what I mean.’ Find out what she means by reading her review.

Gary reviews a new record from Americana singer Turner Cody. He says the music on Friends in High Places combines spare European production style with deep American roots music and sharply observed lyrics. ‘The lyrics and vocal stylings conjure up some chimerical conjoining of Townes Van Zandt, Gram Parsons, and Michael Hurley.’

Gary likes what he hears on the debut self-titled album from Sam Filiatreau, which he says is ‘…Classic ’70s country meets Appalachian-based folk meets modern indie folk.’ He goes on to say, ‘It’s the right length for an old vinyl record, eight songs ranging from less than two to a little more than four minutes each. And they have that kind of warm feel to them you get on a classic LP, too. The production is simple and uncluttered, some acoustic guitars, bass and drums, some electric guitar accents here and there.’

Mike found an album by British singer songwriter Darren Black very much to his liking. ‘Everything about Thinkers & Fools is likeable. Black’s lyrics are thought provoking and reflective; the instrumental arrangements are accomplished but never intrusive.’

Peter got his kicks from Rockin’ Memphis, a compilation album of rock ‘n’ roll made by musicians in a certain Tennessee town that’s more known for the blues than rock. ‘This album is a testament to the fun they had in those heady days making innovative music. The album was born out of work done by a little known record label and a collection of young Memphis players who were more influenced by the English invasion than by what was being recorded at Sun Records or Stax Records at that time in Memphis.’

Speaking of All Things Sandman, Vertigo’s The Sandman Death Statue came from an interesting history says Cat: ‘Death as personified in flesh is one of the most interesting characters to come out of The Sandman series, as she’s not designed by Neil Gaiman, who wrote the series and designed almost all of the other characters as we see them in his series. Rather, he says, ‘the initial visual design of Death was based on a friend of [artist Chris] Dringenberg’s named Cinamon Hadley’. He later ran into a waitress dressed all in black as Dringenberg has shown her and decided that was indeed how Death should look.’

I think a bit of rather lively music in the form of ‘Red Barn Stomp’ to show us out this edition will do very nicely.  Recorded sometime in June of 1990 in Minneapolis by the Oysterband with June Tabor joining them there as well though she’s not on this piece. The lads were on tour in support of their Little Rock to Leipzig album where you can find another version of this tune.

Ian Tefler, a band member, tells us that the name of this piece was chosen to sound trad. It features John Jones calling the tune and very neatly incorporates the actually trad tune, ‘The Cornish Six-Hand Reel’ in it as well.