Here’s what I read in October:

1. RINGED CASTLE by Dorothy Dunnett (521 p.) Fifth book in the Lymond series. Francis Crawford is now head of the Tzar’s army in Russia, while Phillipa heads back to England, where she joins Queen Mary’s court. Francis swears he’ll never return to Scotland . . . but will he have to to get his divorce?

2. CHECKMATE by Dorothy Dunnett (581 p.) The finale of the Lymond series. Sweeping and frequently heart-breaking. Lymond has found the woman he loves, but is resolved to keep away for her sake–all while she delves into his past family history, trying to clear the way for him to go home again. Great conclusion to a great series.

3. THE PINHOE EGG by Diana Wynne Jones (515 p.) A young adult fantasy, part of her Chrestomanci series. Cat Chant takes up horseback riding, but the forests around Chrestomanci castle are strangely hard to navigate. And meanwhile, the Pinhoe family–a witch family determined to keep out of Chrestomanci’s notice–is having a feud with another family . . . A charming little book. I’ve been a fan of this author since I was in middle school and still enjoy just about every book she comes out with. Fun and creative as always.

4. MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn (423 p.) The first in a new series by this, one of my very favorite authors. This tells the story of Senneth, a woman who was turned out by her family when her father discovered she had magic powers at the age of 17. She’s on an errand for the king, scouting out hints of rebellion, centered around a religious fanatic, determined to stamp out (or burn) all mystics. This is more of a “standard” fantasy than her usual–definitely a sword-and-sorcery type. And yet, still, her writing is just wonderful.

5. THIRTEENTH HOUSE by Sharon Shinn (423 p.) Second in the series, this one focusing on Kirra, a shape-changer who is also the heir to one of the ruling families in the kingdom. When her father names her sister heir, though, she goes on tour with the kingdom’s princess, to help keep her safe . . . but she’s distracted and captivated by the newly-named regent …

6. DARK MOON DEFENDER by Sharon Shinn (435 p.) Third (and most recent) in the series. Justin, one of the elite King’s Riders, is sent on a spying mission, where he meets a novice from the enemy’s convent, who he believes is herself a mystic . . . and therefore in very grave danger.

7. LOOKING FOR CLASS by Bruce Feiler (330 p.) Nonfiction account of his year at Cambridge, working for his Master’s Degree. Although well-written and interesting enough, I didn’t enjoy this as much as his book about his stay in Japan. Good book, mind you, but I liked the other better. (And, the oddest thing, the whole time I was reading it, and about the daily life of students in Cambridge, I kept thinking of the old (mediocre, really) movie, Oxford Blues. (Remember that one with Rob Lowe?) Ironic, of course, since Oxford and Cambridge have a certain amount of rivalry going on . . .

8. ODDS AGAINST by Dick Francis (239 p.) One of his early mysteries, telling the story of Sid Halley, a former champion jockey whose career came to a crashing end when his hand was disabled in a bad fall. Since then, he’s been lounging around a detective agency . . . right up until he gets shot during a stake-out. That’s when things get interesting–his father-in-law sets him up against an unscrupulous land-grabber trying to buy a nearby racecourse, and suddenly, Sid is forced to act like the detective he’s been hired to be.

9. WHIP HAND by Dick Francis (315 p.) The second Sid Halley book. Now a full-time private investigator, Sid is asked to look into the sudden failure of some sparkling racehorses, as well as trying to help his ex-wife out of the legal ramifications of a con. In the course of the book, he’ll be forced to face his deepest fear . . . and come to realize why he’s the kind of man he is.

10. COME TO GRIEF by Dick Francis (308 p.) The third Sid Halley book. (Incidentally, the first three have since been republished in one volume.) Here, Sid is investigating the mutilation of a series of horses, and comes up, for the first time, against the ill powers of the press as his reputation for honesty takes a massive hit when he finds the criminal–a vastly popular person, who no-one believes is capable of such savagery . . . and so, they blame Sid….

11. UNDER ORDERS by Dick Francis (308 p.) Finally, after a 6-year break, Dick Francis has published a new book–and he has once again picked Sid to be his go-to-guy. Sid is asked to investigate the murder of a jockey at the races, as well as to investigate a gambling organization . . . but this time, his enemies aren’t going to attack him to try to deter him. This time, they’re going to go after his girlfriend . . .  (How am I doing, by the way, with the juicy, enticing teasers? I feel like I’m writing commercials . . . I just need the thrilling music behind the words….)

12. BORROWER OF THE NIGHT by Elizabeth Peters (244 p.) Vicky Bliss and her quasi-boyfriend try to solve an ancient mystery in Bavaria…. She’s not my favorite E.P. heroine, but…

13. STREET OF THE FIVE MOONS by Elizabeth Peters (258 p.) In this, the second book, Vicky Bliss meets Sir John Smythe, a blonde criminal said to be roughly based on Francis Crawford of Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond series (see the beginning of the month). I figured that since I was on vacation, I’d revisit these characters.

14. SILHOUETTE IN SCARLET by Elizabeth Peters (212 p.) Third. Vicky Bliss and John Smythe in Sweden…

15. TROJAN GOLD by Elizabeth Peters (407 p.) Fourth. Rumors of Helen of Troy’s jewelry surface in Germany, right at Christmas.

16. NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS by Elizabeth Peters (347 p.) Fifth. On a cruise along the Nile, Vicky Bliss comes across John Smythe yet again . . . with his new bride (gasp). I will say that he’s an entertaining character, and I could see a resemblance to Francis Crawford, but . . . yeah, Vicky’s still not exactly a favorite . . . Elizabeth Peters still writes a reasonably entertaining mystery, though.

17. VIRGIN IN THE GARDEN by A.S. Byatt (428 p.) Taking place in 1952, when Alexander writes a play about the first Queen Elizabeth (virgin of the title) just in time for the second’s coronation. I still have to say, though, that I’ve liked Possession more than any of her other books–by a huge lead. The rest just . . . bore me. It kept reminding me of Robertson Davies, only more pretentious.

18. DRAGON’S FIRE by Todd McCaffrey (366 p.) Well, I’ve given him a fair shot–three books now–but he just simply isn’t anywhere near as good as his mother. I’ve adored Anne McCaffrey’s “Pern” series since high school, but now that her son has taken over? Blah . . . And worse, this is really a YA-level book, yet marketed to adults. Huge disappointment.

19. WIZARD OF LONDON by Mercedes Lackey (377 p.) The most recent of her “Elemental Masters” fantasy series, which retells various fairy tales in a Victorian (usually England) world, where magicians are commonplace. This one tells the story of the Snow Queen, more or less, focusing on two young girls in a boarding school, who have remarkable gifts. Pleasant enough light reading.

20. KNIT 2 TOGETHER by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark (168 p.) Knitting patterns more than anything, but good ones–a nice change from “celebrity” knitting books that are just a waste of paper and selling only because of the “name” on the front. The patterns are all by Mel Clark, ones she’s designed for her yarn shop–it’s possible the book wouldn’t have gotten published if it weren’t for the famous knitting enthusiast’s endorsement, but it’s a good book. And, the pattern I get the biggest kick out of? The big, two-person sweater on the front cover. It just tickles me to no end that they actually have the pattern for it at the back.

21. LOCKED ROOMS by Laurie R. King (485 p.) The most recent Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery, and the best one, I think, in a while. Returning from the last book’s (mediocre) trip to India, they go to San Francisco, where Mary lived until her family was killed in a car accident when she was 14. It’s her first trip back to the city since, and suddenly, rational, intelligent Mary is a bundle of nerves, having nightmares, and just not being herself. So much more entertaining a read than the last two or three of this series. I liked this one.

22. BOOK OF BRIGHT IDEAS by Sandra Kring (307 p.) Set in 1961, Winnalee and her sister Freeda breeze into this small, southern town, where Winnalee becomes best friends with the narrator . . . this book was okay, but I don’t think I was entirely in the right mood for it. I think I would have liked it better if I had read it at another time. As it is, I thought it was decent enough, but didn’t love it . . .

23. SPIN TO KNIT by Shannon Okey (128 p.) A perfectly adequate beginner’s book on spinning yarn to knit with–exactly what the title calls for. It’s definitely beginner level, though, and while my spinning skills aren’t incredibly advanced, well . . . I’ll just say that I would have LOVED this book a year ago.

24. JOUST by Mercedes Lackey (442 p.) Fantasy, a reread of the first book in her “Joust” series–young Vetch is a serf picked to become a “dragon boy”–to care for the dragon of a jouster named Ari. It’s still my favorite of the series.

25. ALTA by Mercedes Lackey (434 p.) Second “Joust” book–Vetch (now known by his real name of Kiron) has escaped to his own country and teaches them how to raise tame dragons. But then there are the Magi to worry about, who clearly have evil intent….

26. SANCTUARY by Mercedes Lackey (306 p.) Third book. Kiron and his fellow dragonriders have escaped the Magi but have to find a way to defeat them.

27. AERIE by Mercedes Lackey (291 p.) Fourth and newest of the series–the Magi are defeated, but now there’s a new danger . . . you know how some authors don’t know when to stop when they’re ahead? Overall, this is a decent series, but the quality kind of goes downhill with each one. Not horrible, but mediocre at best….

28. LAMMAS NIGHT by Katherine Kurtz (438 p.) A sadly out-of-print book. Normally, she writes fantasy books, which I suppose this technically is, but it takes place in England in 1940, during WWII, when British mages did what they could to protect their country. I’ve read this periodically since it was published in 1983 and always enjoy it. Sad, sad ending though . . . well, bittersweet. But one which usually requires tissues. (Really, so many of her books do!) This is wholly unique, and well worth looking up, if you’re minded to.

29. CABLES UNTANGLED by Melissa Leapman (188 p.) A perfectly nice knitting book that explains how cables work and then provides patterns . . . not only for finished objects like sweaters, but also a collection of cable patterns at the back of the book. I didn’t really find any of the patterns to be anything I’d like to make (though the cover afghan is lovely), but . . . decent book.

30. RIDDLE-MASTER OF HED by Patricia McKillip (222 p.) Fantasy, first of a trilogy. Morgon of Hed, born with three stars on his forehead, learns that he, the Star-bearer was foretold thousands of years ago . . . and that someone is trying to kill him, and so he goes to ask the mysterious High One why.

31. HEIR OF SEA AND FIRE by Patricia McKillip (207 p.) Second in the trilogy, this focusing on Raederle, Morgon’s bride-to-be, who appears to have a gift for shape-shifting, and is determined to discover what happened to Morgon–missing for a year, since he went to find the High One.

32. HARPIST IN THE WIND by Patricia McKillip (257 p.) Third in the trilogy, where the answers are finally answered–who the Star-bearer is, who the High One is, why his harpist betrayed Morgon . . . all of it. This is an old trilogy, but a good one.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Reads from October //