The Book Count 2026

[Greg]

Cave 13 by Jonathan Maberry

Back to some Joe Ledger action. Ledger is still messed up from the last case but he is ready to go back to work because the world always needs saving. This time Mr. Miracle seems to be the main culprit working in the Holy Land to steal, at first, religious artifacts. But he's a Maberry whack job so he has other deadly plans in play, too including some sort of hallucinogenic compound that drives people mad. Seems like we've gone down this road before. But it was entertaining as Joe scours the Holy Land for the bad guys.

This is the one area where my library lets me down. I have to buy these books to get my fix. But Maberry did introduce me to a new character from a completely different author and series. I currently have The Tomb on order at the library to find out more about Repairman Jack. Although, I have vague memories of reading this book back in the day when it came out in the 1980s

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Cave 13 by Jonathan Maberry

Back to some Joe Ledger action. Ledger is still messed up from the last case but he is ready to go back to work because the world always needs saving. This time Mr. Miracle seems to be the main culprit working in the Holy Land to steal, at first, religious artifacts. But he's a Maberry whack job so he has other deadly plans in play, too including some sort of hallucinogenic compound that drives people mad. Seems like we've gone down this road before. But it was entertaining as Joe scours the Holy Land for the bad guys.

This is the one area where my library lets me down. I have to buy these books to get my fix. But Maberry did introduce me to a new character from a completely different author and series. I currently have The Tomb on order at the library to find out more about Repairman Jack. Although, I have vague memories of reading this book back in the day when it came out in the 1980s

You got Cave 13?! Library just sneers at me.

[Greg]

Wool by Hugh Lowey

It's the book that is the basis for the Silo series. King Bob has mentioned this. I thought I would read in preparation for seeing the series. After I reading it, I might give the whole thing a miss. It just wasn't very engaging.

In a post-apocalyptic world, people live in a Silo. Everything is self contained of course. Different levels are devoted to different things and everyone wears a colored jumpsuit that denotes their station. The story flows through three people's perspective of the silo, starting with the sheriff who is trying to solve the mystery of why his wife opted to step outside the silo to certain death. Then we meet Juliette who is picked to be the new sheriff. She works down in Mechanical at the bottom of the Silo and doesn't want to come to the top to be the new sheriff. Things quickly go awry for her as she runs afoul of the power structure running the Silo.

It never really got suspenseful for me. Or interesting. It seems like I've read this one before and there was nothing really new to add. I don't know if I will read the remaining books in the trilogy.

[Greg]

The Lost Daughter of Sparta by Felicia Day

Felicia Day spent a lot of time reading Greek myths while suffering from insomnia. She came across a passing reference to Philonoe, sister to Helen of Troy, Clytemnestraand Timandra. The reference said Philonoe was made a God, but nothing else. Day wrote this Graphic Novel to fill out what happened. Philonoe was seeming cursed at birth with a port wine stain on her face. She might also have been cursed by Athena to betray her husband, when she marries, like her sisters. Philonoe makes a deal with Athena to break the curse if she completes three tasks before Philonoe's wedding day.

It was kind of an interesting companion piece to The Odyssey to see why Helen, Clytemnestra, and Timandra did what they did. There is a lot of female empowerment woven into the story as well as the gods try and show Philonoe that she doesn't have base her self-worth on how others perceive her.