Book Log 48/2016 - Kevin Hearne: The Purloined Poodle - Oberon's Meaty Mysteries

One of the best characters in Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series is Atticus O'Sullivan's Irish Wolfhound, Oberon. Oberon can talk (telepathically) to Atticus and can understand human speech. He likes watching TV, and even has some grasp of human history and literature, but forget numeracy, (his grasp of that is none, one, lots). Despite his language and education, he remains wholly dog and can't quite understand why humans refuse to sniff each others' butts on first meeting.

This novella is from Oberon's viewpoint. When champion show dogs begin to disappear Oberon determines that he (assisted by Atticus) should be the one to find them. (He even insists on a deerstalker hat and a pipe to make himself truly Sherlock Holmesian.)

Told in Oberon's unique voice this is an amusing novella, set somewhat later in the series timeline that I've read, but as a standalone it's not a problem.

Book Log 49/2016 - Georgette Heyer: Sylvester

Sylvester, Duke of Salford, somewhat self-important and a bit of an arse, decides he needs a wife and clinically begins to consider suitable young ladies. Persuaded by his godmother that Phoebe Marlow (her granddaughter, might suffice he goes to Wiltshire to meet her, finding her overbearing parents insufferable and Phoebe a nondescript country miss. She's had one season in London and on returning home has (secretly) has written a novel in which Sylvester (whom she met only once) is the thinly disguised villain. It turns out that Phoebe, far from nondescript except when her stepmother is urging her to be on her best behaviour. She learns that Salford is likely to propose and decides to run away to London, to her grandmother, to avoid being married to an insufferably arrogant man she barely knows. Persuading her best friend (male) to drive her she gets herself into an awkward situation which Sylvester gets her out of. This follows Heyer's usual pattern of misunderstandings (especially when the novel is published and becomes the talk of the ton) and an eventual reconciliation, so we get the expected ending, of course. (And Sylvester is not quite such an arse by the end of it.)

Book Log 50/2016 - Georgette Heyer: Devil's Cub

This is the next generation book following on from These Old Shades, which makes the setting slightly earlier than the Regency, so let's say 'Georgian' - however it's still a 'silver fork' novel. Dominic Alastair, Marquis of Vidal, is a reckless, hot-headed youth, a duellist, a rake and a seducer posessed of a murderous temper. He plans to steal away with the lovely Sophie Challoner, who (encouraged by her grasping mother) believes he'll have to marry her if he compromises her (not what Vidal has in mind at all). At the last minute he's thwarted by Sophie's thoughtful older sister who (masked) takes her place at the rendezvous. In a rage Vidal kidnaps Mary, taking her aboard his yacht and sailing to France. Once he calms down he realises she's 'not that sort of girl' and that he's compromised her reputation beyond repair. The rest of the book is Vidal making amends and Mary, not believing his sincerity, and trying to look out for herself. Typical Heyer, very enjoyable.

Book Log 51/2016 - Georgette Heyer: Regency Buck

Okay, I admit it, I've just binge-read three Heyers in a row. It must be the after effects of finishing my own historical fantasy and sending it on its way to the publisher.

On the death of their father, Judith and Peregrine Tavener, rich but underage, are left to the guardianship of Julian Audley, Lord Worth, someone they have never met and know nothing about. They decide to leave Yorkshire and set themselves up in London. Worth, their guardian, turns out to be not much older than they are and, after the unfortunate circumstances of their first accidental meeting, dislikes the guardianship arrangement as much as they do. Judith is contrary and independent. Worth is overbearing and domineering and Heyer pretty much tries to set him up as the villain of the piece to begin with. (Heyer readers will, of course, realise this is a false trail of breadcrumbs.) Apparently this was Heyer's first Regency Romance. It contains real historical characters (Beau Brummell, the Prince regent, the Duke of Clarence etc.) mixed in with fictional ones. Judith is contrary and occasionally downright stupid. Audley is arrogant and annoying beyond belief, but (contrary to Judith's belief) has their best interest at heart. I'm inclined to think that these two characters deserve everything they get. The best character is Worth's brother, Charles Audley, who will reappear as the main male character in This Infamous Army. I wondered how the Alastair-Audley books linked up, but apparently the female protagonist in Infamous Army, is the granddaughter of Dominic, Duke of Avon from Devil's Cub.

Movie of the Week: Jason Bourne

More of the same from the Bourne franchise. It's ten years since Matt Damon's last appearance as Bourne. Now we're on a post-Snowden/post Wiki-Leaks era, and technology has given the CIA the ability to sit in a room in Virginia and track Bourne and his associates in real time through Athens, Rome, London and Las Vegas. In the ten years since we last saw him Bourne appears to have been making his living as a bareknuckle fighter. When an old colleague looks him up to offer information Bourne is drawn back into conflict with the Agency.

There's a lot of fast camera work as Bourne goes through several chase sequences (the last one being about three years too long) and the final fight with 'The Asset' is fast, blurry and confusing, but all in all it's an entertaining couple of hours.

Matt Damon's looking good for 45. Alicia Vikander succeeds in walking a line between symapothy and ruthlessness. Tommy Lee Jones is... Tommy Lee Jones (but that's OK).

The big question is: did it move Bourne's story forward? Considering a lot of this is about backstory Bourne (or David Webb as his real name was) and his father, then it's not a story with a lot of forward momentum, even though it has a lot of fast action.