Monsters Of Men- fantastic finale to a triumphant trilogy

I kept putting off reading this, the last instalment of the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness, partly because I didn't want it to actually end, but mostly because I had experienced the first two parts in audio format and I'd now got the last book in print. I was worried that the characters wouldn't be as clearly defined in the print edition, and also that the main feature of the "noise" in people's heads would somehow not be as effective. I shouldn't have worried. From the very first sentence, I was back  in the thick of things on New World, where the controlling nutter that is Mayor Prentiss seems to be getting exactly what he wants ... ALL OUT WAR! The book picks up where the last one finished ... Todd is desperately trying to keep the Mayor under some semblance of control, and Viola is racing to intercept the army Mistress Coyle has gathered, but over the horizon comes a legion of the indigenous Spackle ... seemingly intent on ridding their home of the invading humans. Despite their best intentions, battle commences, and it is a brutal one. Finally, talks commence, and peace is on the cards .... but when 1017, the Spackle slave Todd released in the previous book seems bent on his singular revenge, mutual destruction is once again on the cards. Can Todd and Viola live long enough to restore peace and finally be with one another, or will Mayor Prentiss use his ever-increasing powers of control to destroy everything and everyone? And can humanity ever get to grips with being able to hear each others thought all the time? Monsters of Men keeps the pulse racing and the reader guessing until the very end. There are breath-taking sequences and the action is relentless. It's not often I'm so involved in a book that my heart almost breaks! Although shocking, exhilarating and full of foreboding about the immense stupidity of war, this is, at its core, a story of loyalty, love and hope in a world where those things are in short supply. I urge you to take the plunge and read the whole trilogy. My only criticism was going to be that there is no more ... but I have found out that there is a short story called Snowscape which, I believe, provides a well needed coda! Now, where can I get it from ...?

My STAR rating: FIVE (unsurprisingly!)

Length: 603 print pages.
Price I paid: 50p.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

One Good Turn - it's not all fun and frolics at the Edinburgh Festival

Jackson Brodie, ex-army, ex-police and ex-private detective is at the Edinburgh Festival with his paramour, Julia. She is an actress, and is in rehearsal for what could possibly be the world's worst play! While Julia is so engrossed, Jackson is at a loose end, and is starting to fear that not all is well with their relationship. While mooching about, he becomes embroiled in an incident which leads him down a very dangerous path. There are several plots all going on at the same time, involving the author of gentle crime novels, missing bodies, dodgy Russians and a fraudulent property developer. As Brodie keeps finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the police are wondering whether he is an unlucky witness, an investigate colleague, or a suspect. There is so much going on in One Good Turn, that the reader could become a little bit lost if they don't keep their wits about them. However, this is a very satisfying read, balancing a thrilling mystery with the everyday drama of people struggling to make a relationship work. Kate Atkinson weaves all these things together with aplomb. The reader is kept very much on their toes, with twists and turns stacking up ... and we are kept wondering about the significance of the Russian Dolls! Sprinkled with humour, there is much to enjoy about this second outing for Jackson Brodie, and with a bit of a cliff-hanger for an ending with regard to his private life, I am sure it won't be long before I succumb to the next instalment!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 544 print pages.
Price I paid: free (borrowed from library as an ebook).
Formats available: print; abridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Summer Knight - you really don't want Faeries at the bottom of your garden!

Harry Dresden, Chicago's very own crime fighting wizard is back for his fourth adventure in Summer Knight. And this time, it's very, VERY personal. We find Harry in a bit of a slump ... he's broke, has no work and is spending all his time trying to find a cure for his girlfriend, who was infected by the Red Court of Vampires in the last book. And as if that wasn't bad enough, he is called before the White Court of Wizards to answer charges of murder, which, if proven will mean his execution! Into this mix come the Faeries, a notoriously tricky bunch of creatures who have a knack of getting exactly what they want at everyone else's expense. The Winter Queen "hires" Harry to find out who murdered the Summer Knight - the Summer Queen's right-hand man - and clear her own name in the process. It's an offer he cannot refuse and he gets to work, enlisting help along the way from Chicago PD's Murphy (his very human friend) and the Alphas (the local werewolf pack). Harry gets himself, and those around him, into a series of increasingly dangerous scrapes as he works the case while trying to stay alive ... oh, and then there's the small matter of saving the world as we know it! The action comes thick and fast as do the surprises and witty dialogue. More of Harry's back story is revealed, which helps to create a more rounded character. Author Jim Butcher has certainly hit his stride with this series and these books are becoming a guilty pleasure for me ... combining crime and fantasy fiction in a most satisfying way. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio edition,  which is excellently narrated by James Marsters, who brings a world weary sarcasm to the proceedings that hit just the right note. Roll on book number five!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 448 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.84.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; unabridged MP3; ebook.