Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb

I don't often post the same book here and on Azure Dwarf but this book is so mainstream it needs to be here and it is definitively speculative fiction so it needs to be there too. 

I did really enjoy the technology that was described and I suspect that we will see interactive holograms well before the 2060 date of the storyline.   Computer gaming systems are becoming so sophisticated that holograms are the next logical step.  It will be exciting to see and as so many of the books I read as a kid, science fiction frequently becomes science fact well before we expect it.

It is made clear in this book that Dallas does take each and every murder personally. She believes that she is the advocate for the dead. I can only hope that there are cops out there that have the same strength of duty for those who can’t help themselves.

I’ve said it before, I do like the loyalty that Dallas shows to her staff and the resultant loyalty that is returned. The emotional interplay is the key to success in this series.

I recommend the book and the series.

Body of work of J. D. Robb

Web site: http://www.noraroberts.com/jdrobb/The not too distant future is the setting for Lt. Eve Dallas and her adventures. The entire series I have read so far is focused on homicide and the mystery that surrounds each murder. This book focuses on rpg. (role playing games) A group of loveable geeks is on the verge of paramount geekieness when they are beset with foul play.

Bart Minnock’s murder strikes a chord with Dallas, I suspect due to his naïve disposition and his vague similarity to Roarke. Roarke, on the other hand, is beyond chord striking, he doesn’t see Bart’s murder as simply a need for justice, he sees a strong need for revenge.

Lay Down My Sword And Shield by James Lee Burke

This book details the rebirth of Hackberry Holland. He returned from the Korean War, rebuilt his life and now he is recreating himself. The hard panned setting and historic family background contribute to his reassessment of his identity.
Describing the book doesn’t really do justice to the story or it’s fluidity. The author reminds me of Pat Conroy and his poetry like prose. The descriptions of the countryside and people are thorough and beautiful. Hack’s experiences as a POW in Korea are horrific. His sublimation of both experience and emotions would fit quite well with PTSD victims in today’s conflicts. His drinking appears to be fuel by displaced anger. Hack’s reactions to his environment and his refusal to be what his family expects him to be as opposed to what he wants to be is a thumbnail of the book’s plot.

We tend to forget how recent equal rights are. There are parts of the book that seem practically fantastic that are supported by facts and recollection of the times. I suspect younger readers may even find some of the incidents hard to believe. Burke’s book was extraordinarily done.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of James Lee Burke

Web Site: