Review: Portrait of an Unknown Woman

Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's good to have Gabriel back! Silva uses a creative hook to get the retired Allon back into the game. He's not hunting terrorists this time around, but with the help of a few of his old friends he executes a private op that brings some justice to a few criminals. This isn't going to be my favorite Allon book, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I love the way Silva tells his stories, and there are always fun and surprising twists along the way. I'm curious how Silva will continue to pull Allon out of retirement in the future.

View all my reviews

Review: The Gray Man

The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Action packed thriller. Greaney does a good job of keeping you engrossed at every stage. He has does a good job of keeping the wildly unrealistic skill set of Court Gentry seem realistic. There is little surprising here, but it is a well-executed example action thriller.

View all my reviews

Review: Ancient Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization

Ancient Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization by Amanda H. Podany
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent course. Podany is a wonderful teacher; she has great enthusiasm for the subject that matter and that comes through in every lecture. She really makes the era come alive and I learned a lot. The information is fascinating. Podany does a great job of balancing the overall picture with the nit and gritty details. She makes it relatable and digestible. There is so much focus on the Greeks and the Egyptians, and sometimes the Persians, but the Mesopotamians were their precursors in almost every way. This course helps to fill that void.

View all my reviews

Review: Known to Evil

Known to Evil by Walter Mosley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first book in the McGill mystery series introduced us to Mosley's newest hard-boiled detective. The second book builds off the first: McGill is still finding himself as he tries to set himself straight. His connections to the criminal element threaten to overwhelm him. His inner demons, too, stand ready to take over. But McGill has an that inner core, that hard-won integrity that all hard-boiled detectives from Sam Spade to Spenser have. It's buried a little deeper with McGill, but it is there and growing. Few detectives in this genre have a family; most are singular creatures. Spenser broke the mold with Susan; and Mosley gives McGill a family. A family that reflects McGill's own personality and character in many ways.

Like the first book in the series, the plot is a bit convoluted at times and has made strings to weave together. Though it can be hard to keep track, it helps to give you a sense of the mildly chaotic nature of McGill's life.



View all my reviews