The Witches, by Roald Dahl

***

Not Dahl's best, but still well worth reading. Gruesome, of course (it is Dahl, after all), and a "happy" ending that is unconventional at best. Still, I enjoyed reading it. And "Grandmamma" is one of the strongest adult characters I remember reading in Dahl (who, as a general rule, does not think too highly of grown-ups). Grandmamma is equal to anything, and knows all sorts of things about what's really important, and doesn't care a bit about less important things that so many other grown ups get bent out of shape about (like baths, for example). He writes her as the ideal grown-up, and I think he succeeds. All in all, definitely not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Green Lantern: Secret Origin, by Geoff Johns

***

~~SPOILER ALERT~~

A decent enough origin story, though not the best ever. Honestly, it's tough to convince readers that a red-faced, pencil-mustachioed alien named Sinestro, of all things, was ever going to be anything other than a bad guy. The name alone should have been enough to disqualify him from the Green Lantern Corps. Of course, most who read this origin story would already be well aware of Sinestro's destiny, so in all likelihood the unsurprising reveal in future (previous) novels would not detract from their experience.

Hal Jordan doesn't seem the most compelling of characters, at least based on this installment, but perhaps he develops more of a personality once he's been a Green Lantern for a while. In this volume, his primary relevant contribution is to personify the American tendency to challenge authority.

Overall, though, the idea behind Green Lantern mythology is intriguing. Like Superman, the writers rely on an alien race to provide the superpowers necessary for a good superhero--though this time, the weakness is yellow, instead of green. The use of aliens provides a convenient source of opponents and allies, limited only by the authors' imaginations. There is a girl (of course) and she is both strong willed and tough minded yet also tender and devoted (equally of course), and there are plenty of obstacles to keep them apart over many, many volumes.

All in all, not a bad book, and I suspect I will end up reading more about the Green Lantern in the future, which is by no means a bad thing.

The Edge, by Dick Francis

****

One of my favorite Francis books. Francis trades the typical setting of the English world for the Canadian countryside, as seen by rail. The hero is, as usual, quietly competent and prone to form sudden and inexplicable romantic connections. The bad guy is nefarious, to be sure, but not quite to psychopathic villain that plagues so many of Francis' other books. The mystery here is rather backwards, as well--the hero and his employers know full well who the bad guy is, and they spend the bulk of the book figuring out what exactly he is up to, how to prove it, and how to put a stop to his crimes. As is often the case with Francis' works, I find thinking that it would have made a pretty compelling movie. Definitely a worthwhile way to kill a few hours.

The Story of Christianity, Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation, by Justo Gonzalez

****

A surprisingly readable history. Gonzalez is right to title his volume The Story of Christianity, as his style is closer to prose than it is to the usual dry and lifeless writing of most history texts. The organization is a bit confusing at times--not precisely chronological, but grouped by periods and then thematically within the period--but with so many moving pieces, there really isn't a better way to present the information. All in all, it's a great introduction to the history of Christianity, though I suspect it's far from comprehensive.

The Tombs of Atuan, by Ursula K. LeGuin

***

Not a bad book, by any means. Just not . . . amazing. The characters are a bit better drawn in this volume--Ged, Tenar, and even, to a lesser degree, Manan, Kossil, and Penthe have thoughts, feelings, and motivations that are not completely ignored. Unfortunately, the plot is a bit poorly paced. Nothing really happens for the first two-thirds of the book, and then Ged comes along and everything happens all at once . . . and then there's more nothing until the book is over. The bit where stuff is happening is actually pretty good. And it's a testament to LeGuin's writing that even when nothing is going on, the book is still readable. But I doubt it needed to be as long as it was . . . and it wasn't long. It's the second book in a series, and it felt like it--the necessary filler between two points. Still, I've read worse.

Shaking the Nickel Bush, by Ralph Moody

*

What a disappointing book! After four excellent entries--some of which were truly stellar--I can't believe the sudden drop-off in quality. Allow me to elaborate.

~~SPOILER ALERT~~

1) Lies, lies lies. Gone is the highly scrupulous Ralph Moody we came to know and love in earlier volumes. His desire to honor his father's passion for honesty, integrity, and forthrightness seems to have disappeared completely, and with no explanation whatsoever. He routinely lies to his mother throughout the book and doesn't object in the slightest when his traveling partner repeatedly steals chickens, "borrows" horses without asking, and otherwise makes free with the belongings of others. While it is certainly true that those raised to be honest sometimes waver in their devotion to the cause, Moody offers no explanation whatsoever for his sudden departure from his family's values.

2) The devil is in the details.

King Solomon's Mines, by H. Rider Haggard

****

An excellent story, and a precursor to much of the adventure literature and film that has been so popular for the past hundred years. Although the story itself is devoid of the supernatural elements to justify placement in the fantasy genre, the story itself is reminiscent of the early fantasy stories and undoubtedly influenced the genre. For those who enjoy the adventures of Indiana Jones and his ilk, this is a must-read. Haggard dedicates the story to "all the big and little boys who read it," and he knows how to please his audience. Elephants tear people in two, men kill other men in armed combat, and women function largely to massage the male ego or to provide for man's physical and material needs. The writing is a bit dated--vestiges of racism of the time remain, though in Haggard's case it appears to be the result of foolish ignorance rather than animus. And Quatermain's big-game hunting adventures are rather unsettling in this modern era of Endangered Species Lists and wildlife preservation. Still, it's an important piece historically, and quite enjoyable to boot. Definitely worth reading.