The Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece

I've just finished reading The Sleepwalker's Niece. This Perry Mason novel was written back in 1936. There are more than a few anachronisms in the book that echoed the time when it was written, too. Well, I suppose I should call it The Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece as all Perry Mason books were The Case of...

Most of us know Perry Mason from the television show. Of course, many of those episodes were based on specific books written by Earle Stanley Gardner. Many of the best Perry Mason books were written back in the 1930's and 40's, long before the TV show. However, I can't help but visualize the characters of the books without seeing the actors that portrayed them on TV. That colors how I read the books, because their descriptions there are different and so are many of their actions.

I enjoyed the book. I wasn't surprised at "who done it" as I remembered the TV episode, but there were many scenes in the book that didn't make it to to TV.  It was those scenes that made the book really enjoyable.

If you liked the TV series, you'll like the books.

Girl Genius!

About 10 years ago I stumbled across the web comic, Girl Genius, and read a few pages. It was interesting, but I was in the middle of a story that was confusing. It was fun, but I didn't really get what was going on.

Archives of the comic from the beginning either weren't available or I missed them somehow. IAC, other things intervened and reading this comic fell way down in importance.  I stopped reading and promptly 'forgot' about it. Well, not really...

Over the intervening years, Girl Genius flitted across my mind from time to time, but I never actually took the time to go looking for it. That was until this week when I stumbled across it again. This time Archives were obvious and started at the very beginning.

So, okay, I started with the first page...from way back in 2002...and have, so far, gotten up to the middle of 2005. I am hooked!

Let's see, I've been reading about six months of comics a day, and while that can't continue, Girl Genius is now on my daily read list. I figure it will take me a year to catch up. And that's fine with me.

I won't say too much about the comic other than it is a "Scientific Romance" set in a Steampunk Europe. The protagonist, Agatha Clay (if that's her real name) is a spunky, buxom, young thing thrust into matters far over her head, but she's adapting fast! Let's just say she's got quite a spark!

The comic is quirky, funny, exciting and almost...but not quite...risque.

Highly recommended!

Mysteries!

Most of my reading the past few years has been on a Kindle. I try to read a chapter, or two, from a book each night before I retire. Kindle Unlimited has really helped keep me in books without breaking the bank. I just wish some of the big publishing houses...I'm talking to about you Penguin!...would put their books into the Unlimited list.

I still read SF & Fantasy, but lately I've been reading a lot of mystery novels. Kindle Unlimited has many, many, mystery books available. Yes, a lot of them are of the "cozy" variety and not up to the quality of Sayers, Christie, or Marsh, but they are entertaining and light enough so I can read a chapter and then go to sleep rather than having to stay up all night to finish.

Consequently, I'll now be including reviews of mysteries here on Sword & Blaster to go along with SF & Fantasy.