posts interesting only to me

Ten books read this month, but almost all finished in the first two weeks. Because of everything that happened this month I didn’t seem to have enough energy to read much. Hence also the five undemanding mysteries…

Carthage Must Be Destroyed — Richard Miles
A history of Carthage that attempts to escape the biased view of it we have gotten from the Romans and their later admirers. Sadly Richard Miles does not escape having to put Carthage’s later history in Roman context, simply because that history was dominated by wars with the Roman Empire, which ultimately of course destroyed it. Because I knew this outcome, it was difficult to keep on reading…

Omnitopia Dawn — Diane Duane
This is the science fiction equivalent of an Arthur Hailey business novel, but since this is the twentyfirst century, this is set in and around a MMORPG rather than a hotel or car plant…

A Wreath for Rivera — Ngaoi Marsh
Also known as Swing Buddy Swing, the better title in my opinion, this is another competent mystery revolving around the murder of a jazz musician.

The Mysterious Affair of Styles — Agatha Christie
The first Hercule Poirot story. It has been literally decades since I last read any Agatha Christie murder mystery, but what with everything that happened this month and me cataloguing Sandra’s books, I thought I’d give them a try again.

Mrs McGinty’s Dead — Agatha Christie
A 1950ties Poirot story, which starts with him depressed about “modern times” but revitalised when an old acquaintance asks him to investigate the murder of an old woman. even though her lodger has already been condemned for it.

Snuff — Terry Pratchett
His latest Discworld novel, starring Sam Vines out of his element and depth, as he’s out of Ankh-Morpork and has to play the laird on his wife’s estate somewhere in the country. Quality as always, but not the best novel he has ever written.

Troy and Homer — Joachim Latacz
An attempt at determining how much of The Illiad is based in fact, whether Homer’s Troy was real and the city Schliemann found was indeed the same city.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd — Agatha Christie
Another early Poirot, the first of many in which Poirot has gone into retirement and not liked it. Best remembered for a twist ending, somewhat cheating.

Hickory Dickory Dock — Agatha Christie
Poirot is asked to investigate an outbreak of petty thefts in the lodging house of his secretary’s sister, but this of course soon turns into a murder investigation…

Trouble and her Friends — Melissa Scott
It took me ages to read this book, which had more to do with me than the book. As a second generation cyberpunk novel (published in 1994) this is quite dated in its ideas about what cyberspace would look like, but is saved by its politics. It’s the only cyberpunk novel I’ve read so far that comes close to imagining the attractions and dangers cyberspace and hacker culture can have for women and LGBT people.