The unset alarm clock

December 2007

  • Blind Eye

    Blind Eye by Marilyn Todd.  Readers of Todd’s Claudia Seferius series set in Rome will easily see a sisterly resemblance between that character and the High Priestess Iliona in Todd’s new series set in 5th century Greece.  Iliona is a strong, independent woman who has achieved some stature and is in conflict with a sexy,… Continue reading

  • Ocean’s Thirteen on DVD

    Ocean’s Thirteen on DVD. George, Brad, Matt and the boys are back in Las Vegas in another revenge/casino heist caper even more complex than the previous ones. It seems like they’re trying to rig every game in the place, craps, roulette, blackjack, and slots, at least for three minutes and thirty seconds. The deserving villain… Continue reading

  • My Name is Red

    My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk.  Originally published in Turkish in 1998, My Name is Red is a fascinating novel about art, illustration, Ottoman history, and love with a mystery as well.  In 16th century Istanbul, Sultan Murat III, a fervent admirer of miniatures and books, bypasses his official illuminating workshop and commissions a… Continue reading

  • Shrek the Third on DVD

    Shrek the Third on DVD.  The new installment in this series finds the big fellow struggling with the idea of his impending fatherhood and attempting to convince a reluctant, young Arthur to take over as the new heir of the land of Far, Far Away.  Meanwhile, Fiona must lead the group of spoiled princesses in… Continue reading

  • New header photo

    Instead of posting another review, my gift to readers today is a new header photo.  This is Ivy after playing in the snow.  I tried resizing and cropping the photo, but this was the best I could do.  Had to get rid of the blog header text, but it’s only temporary.  Enjoy. Continue reading

  • Until Proven Innocent

    Until Proven Innocent by Stuart Taylor Jr. and KC Johnson.  I hesitate to review non-fiction books because even bad authors are going to have researched their topic much more thoroughly than I can and to criticize their work without expert knowledge seems unfair.  However, there are some books one just feels compelled to read and… Continue reading

  • I now pronounce you Chuck & Larry on DVD

    I now pronounce you Chuck & Larry on DVD.  This movie is not worth your time.  The plot is predictable and despite its message of tolerance and friendship, it is filled with jokes that stereotype and offend several groups.  The many cameos in the movie are a plus and Dan Aykroyd is pretty good as… Continue reading

  • Danny’s Reviews

    I have found mixed results using review sites to locate new authors. Some, like Mystery Reader, have good reviews, but other flaws. One that I have been impressed with for its breadth of subject matter is Danny’s Reviews, run by Danny Yee. Yee is an Australian who has been publishing reviews online since 1992. His… Continue reading

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on DVD

    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on DVD.  It’s Star Wars at magic school.  We’ve got Harry in the role of Luke Skywalker, our young hero, immensely talented, able, though reluctant, to lead a rag tag group of fighters against evil.  He is struggling with his development and the eternal question of whether… Continue reading

  • Flying Too High

    Flying Too High and Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood. In the second and third installments of the Phryne Fisher series, readers will easily recognize Greenwood’s formula for these books: two slightly interrelated mysteries, one new dashing lover for Phryne to bed and the introduction of a new character or two. This simple… Continue reading