Wild Place

This thriller is set on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria during the summer of 1989-1990. When Tracie Reed disappears from her home at Camp Hill (near Frankston), the police believe that the seventeen year old girl has run away from home. However her mother is convinced that something more sinister has happened. Neighbour and local school teacher, Tom Witter, agrees, especially when he hears stories of possible Satanic practices in Wild Place, an area of bush backing on to the residential area. As it is school holidays Tom decides to investigate but discovers more than he wants to know - or anyone else to know for that matter.

The Wild Place by Christan White looks at how conspiracy theories can cloud people's thinking, sometimes causing people to jump to wrong conclusions. Family and relationships are a major focus of book. Tom's investigation leads to discoveries of layers of guilt and desperation among not only some of the neighbours but also closer to home. As the police officer investigation the case concludes at one point - 'Sometimes good people do bad things' (p244), especially when they are protecting family members.

The Wild Place is a tension filled novel that keeps the reader guessing until the end.

Powers and Thrones: a new history of the Middle Ages

In 640 plus pages Dan Jones sets out to explore the broad themes of 1,000 years of largely European history after the sacking of Rome in AD410. 

The story in Powers and Thrones is told in four time periods: 410 - 750 focussing on the Romans, Barbarians, Byzantines and Arabs; 750 - 1215 which tells of kingdom of the Franks, including the empire of Charlemagne, plus the role of Monks, Knights and Crusaders in Medieaval life; 1215 - 1347 exploring the life of the Mongols as well as the rise of Merchants, Scholars and Builders; and 1348 - 1527 described as a time of revolution under the headings of Survivors, Renewers, Navigators and Protestants.

In general the book looks at the super powers after the fall of Rome and how the changing global geopolitics influenced European life and society. It investigates the reshaping of economics and political power and the changes in the ways people thought of the world around them.

At the end of the book can be found detailed notes, a bibliography, and index. maps and coloured illustrations can be found in the book.

Other books by Dan Jones mentioned in this blog include Crusaders: the epic history of the wars for the Holy Lands and Summer of Blood: the Peasants Revolt of 1381.

The Freedom of Birds

The Freedom of Birds by New Zealand author, Stephanie Parkyn, is set in Europe during the early years of the nineteenth century. We first meet the main characters, Remi, Pascale and Saski in 1807. When young children, they had all been deserted by their mothers and spent their early lives living with entertainers in theatres or in a circus. By 1812 they have joined forces and formed an entertainment act performing in towns to earn money for food and board as they move from town to town. They eventually find a safe haven in Venice but this is shortlived when Napoleon's army is on the retreat and it becomes obvious that Remi and Pascale, being French are putting friends in danger. They resolve to return to France.

The relevance of this story to today is increasingly apparent with Russia presently encroaching into Ukraine's territory. Some of the conflicts that have existed in Europe for centuries are highlighted in the book. Napoleon began his retreat from Moscow in 1812 and during the next two years gradually returned with his army to France. As the French army retreated young men were captured to add to its military forces.

Against the background of an ever changing political landscape, this novel explores the relationships between the three main characters as they attempt to survive in an often cruel world and also attempt to discover a little about their early life. It also shows the working of theatre, storytelling and trends in the entertainment industry at the time. Some of the characters that appear in Stephanie Parkyn's previous novels - Into the World and Josephine's Garden - appear in this story. Although the story in this book stands on its own it could be seen to be an advantage to have read the previous two novels.

Terms of Restitution

Terms of Restitution by Denzil Meyrick is a gripping gangland thriller set primarily in Paisley and Glasgow. The story centres around crime boss, Zander Finn. 

After his son was murdered, Zander retreats to London where he establishes a new life for two years before a former colleague convinces him to return to Paisley. Once back home the gangland killings drastically increase with no-one entirely sure who is responsible. Determined to protect his family Zander becomes once again  involved in the growing crime wars in the area but who can he trust as a number of his former gang members have changed sides.

There is plenty of action, double dealing, intrigue and murder as members of local gangs attempt to get revenge and supremacy in their area. The growing body count is interwoven with descriptions of the local area and occasional humour. However the book is not just a tale of blood and guts but presents the reader with a number of well drawn sensitive characters. Throughout the novel we learn more about Zander Finn as a person and also of the strong women in his life including his mother Maggie. The novel also follows the investigations of DCI Amelia Langley as she endeavours to end the growing crime surge.

This excellent stand alone novel by Denzil Meyrick who is well known for his DCI Daley series of books.

Farmers or Hunter-Gatherers? The Dark Emu debate

In 2014 Bruce Pascoe published his book Dark Emu which set out to discredit many beliefs about how Aboriginal Australians lived prior to 1788. This book, and subsequent versions, won many awards and  encouraged many people to rethink their views on the topic and how it has been taught in the past.

However in Farmers or Hunter-Gatherers? social anthropologist Professor Peter Sutton and archaeologist Dr Keryn Walshe examine some of the claims made in Bruce Pascoe's book. They are concerned not only by many of his conclusions but also the lack of references to his sources and the tendency to use segments of quotes out of context so that they might support his theory. 

As Peter Sutton states in the opening paragraph of this book - 'This book is about a debate over how Australia's First People's lived, and made a living economically, before conquest by the British Empire. Were they farmers, hunter-gatherers, or something in betweem?" (p1)

Both Peter Sutton and Keryn Walshe have many years experience living and working with Aboriginal groups in different parts of Australia. Apart from this experience, detailed references are made to the work of other Aboriginal studies. More than eighty pages of this study consist of appendices, notes, references and an index. I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading a study as to how First Nations people lived in Australia prior to European settlement, particularly if they have already read Dark Emu.

In 2019 I read Garry Linnell's book, Buckley's Chance, a novel about escaped convict, William Buckley, who spent many years living with Aboriginal Peoples before Europeans decided to settle in Victoria. Buckley later provided an account of his experiences which Peter Sutton refers to on several occasions.

Terciel and Elinor

Since discovering the book, Sabriel, (originally published in 2005) many years ago I have also read the other books in the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. Terciel and Elinor, the sixth book in series, tells how Sabriel's parents, Terciel and Elinor, met.

Terciel, the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, is receiving training from Tizanael, his great aunt and the current Abhorsen. They live in the Old Kingdom and use powerful necromancy, including the bells, to ensure that the Dead do not return to this world. Meanwhile Elinor lives on the other side of the Wall and although she is aware that she has some unusual powers she is unaware that the mark on her forehead is a chartre mark and that she she has family connections to the Old Kingdom, especially to the Clayr who have special powers of their own.

Terciel and Elinor meet when Elinor's home is attacked by an enemy from the Old Kingdom which has crossed the wall into Ancelstierre followed by Terciel and Tizanael who hope to defeat it. Elinor learns the power of her charter mark and becomes determined to learn more, eventually arriving in the Old Kingdom where she joins forces to work with Terciel and Tizanael to help defeat the evil power threatening the kingdom.

Terciel and Elinor is a prequel well worth reading by those who have enjoyed the other books in the Old Kingdom series.

Game On - Tempting twenty-Eight

Game On is another easy to read, entertaining crime novel by Janet Evanovich. This time Diesel puts in an appearance after a long absence as he is chasing the same person as Stephanie, though for a different crime. Oswald Wednesday is a computer hacker who Stephanie needs to apprehend as he missed a court appearance. Diesel is after him as it is feared he has plans to cause a major disaster somewhere in the world.

All the usual characters make an appearance including Joe Morelli, Ranger, Lula and Grandma Mazur as they assist Stephanie with her chase. Apparently a group of amateur hackers was able to momentarily break into Oswald Wednesday's computer system and he is out for revenge, murdering any members of the group that he can locate. Stephanie finds two of the group members and she and her friends and associates strive to keep them hidden from the avenger.

All good fun and a great way to spend a warm summer's day reading under a tree. Game On is number 28 in the Stephanie Plum series.

Books That Made US

The Books That Made Us by Carl Reinecke has been published as a detailed companion to the ABC television program of the same name. The author provides a history of Australian book publishing in relation to events occurring in Australian history and culture. It is also a study of how Australians observe themselves through time.

Starting with the works relating to convicts, settlers in the bush and then those living in the cities, the author first looks at works of authors including Marcus Clarke, Henry Lawson, Rolf Bolderwood (Thomas Alexander Browne), then Miles Franklin, Joseph Furphy and Henry Handel Richardson (Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson). He looks at the way Federation, the White Australia Policy and World War I were reflected and affected  attitudes to Australian literature. The  challenges for Australian authors to have their work published and accepted in Austalia and overseas at this time are also discussed.

Post World War I authors discussed in the book  include Nettie Palmer, Katherine Susannah Prichard, M Barnard Eldershaw (Marjorie Barnard and Flora Eldershaw), Christina Stead and Xavier Herbert as well as Max Harris, Eleanor Dark, Dymphna Cusak and Florence James, Ruth Park and Frank Hardy in the 1940s. 

Political attitudes in Australia, in various time frames, and their impact on Australian literature form one of the themes of the book, especially in regard to censorship plus the types of characters portrayed in Australian books. The extent of government funding and support available for literary endeavours is also a theme.

Other authors discussed include Patrick White, Nino Culotta (John O'Grady), George Johnstone, Thomas Keneally, Thea Astley, Frank Moorhouse, David Malouf, Helen Garner, Gerald Murnane, Peter Carey, Tim Winton, Andrew McGahan, Kim Scott, Kate Grenville, Alexis Wright, Christos Tsiolkas, Michelle de Krester, Richard Flanagan and Melissa Lucashenko.

In the conclusion, Carl Reinecke states " This book, in examining the stories of a selection of Australian novels, has attempted to chart something of Australia's history. Looking back at Australian fiction and culture from the crossroads of today, new perspectives and narratives emerge. These viewpoints can help us to think again about the broader conflicts and ideas that have defined the history of Australian society..." (p308) This book does not set out to be a comprehensive study of Australian literature but it does help show the growth and role of literature in the understanding of Australian history and culture as well as how attitudes at a particular time impacted upon literature and are reflected in some books.