Ink & Quill

When you are governed by a Lord Ruler who has turned the world into a cult of the person and a complete dictatorship, you crave some change! This is what Kelsier felt when he gathered a group of thieves to overthrow the present government. If they succeed, this will mean a new world order, a new life, especially for the oppressed skaa, the workers. But it will also mean a whole new world of trouble. Mistborns, allomancers, Terrispeople, kandra, koloss, mists, ashes, Brandon Sanderson has created a rich universe in which his three dimensional characters evolve and grow. A delightful yet multi-layered read! Not your average Medieval Fantasy. This one is much better!

This is the story of two brothers, Nestor and Cesar, fresh out of Cuba, trying to make it as musicians in 1950’s New York. Vibrant, exciting, full of life, the novel relates the brothers’ trials and tribulations on the music scene, night life in the various clubs that hire them to play, love, sex, alcohol, fun and partying. But it also deals with immigrants’ lives and with what it means to grow old in the anonymity when you were once so admired. A Pulitzer winner and the basis for the movie “The Mambo Kings” with Antonio Banderas, this is a deeper novel than it looks, full of all the elements required to turn a novel into a Classic of modern literature.

Bruno is a PhD student from New York. When he hears about Julio Martel, a tango singer with a marvelous voice, he gets on a plane and heads to Buenos Aires. There he will meet people who will help him reconstruct Martel’s life and his passion for old tangos. As Bruno gets closer to meeting Martel, he comes closer and closer to understanding why Martel sings, and the significance of the places he chooses to sing. A deep and emotional story of Argentina’s past and present filled with music. A fascinating tale, even for a reader unfamiliar with Argentina’s (and Buenos Aires’) geography.

In this complete and complex biography of Nikola Tesla, the reader discovers the man, the inventor and the inventions. Very detailed and quite thorough, this work is for everyone interested in Tesla but want to know more than the bare necessity. Very well written and easy to follow (albeit heavy on the science but still understandable to non-specialists), this is a fascinating work about a fascinating man.

In this extensively researched text, the author takes us inside the life and works of Galileo, his family, his friends, his masters and patrons, every detail to get a better picture who Galileo was and what was happening at the time. A thorough description of a very full life.

Genius 12 year-old evil mastermind Artemis Fowl goes from adventure to adventure accompanied by his faithful bodyguard Butler, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon,  Foaly the smart-aleck high-tech centaur and Mulch Diggums, a criminal dwarf suffering from flatulence. Together they can pretty much do it all! Each novel takes the characters into another action-packed adventure with a mystery to solve. Artemis Fowl is a series about growth, trust and friendship. Not your average YA; this one is a bit more serious, making it better, more rounded, more interesting. In this episode we discuss both the series and the graphic novels :)

After the death of his father, James leaves Yorkshire and his beloved sister Charlotte to move to London and study at Oxford. Once his studies are over, he takes lodging with an exciting young man who goes out every night. Slowly yet surely, James is drawn to this life of party, money and easy pleasures. Until one night when he and his friend get attacked… From now on, James’ life has taken a turn. For the best or for the worst? That is a matter of perspective.

A young man simply referred to as “A” inherits a very large mansion. That happens everyday! He and his mute (not deaf) companion Niamh come to the US from Europe to take possession of said mansion with all its contents. OK! The mansion once belonged to Ambrose Wells, his second cousin twice removed, who jumped off the window. Hmmm…! The cousin committed suicide the exact same way his father did at the exact same age in the exact same room in the house. Wait! What?? Oh, and the house is haunted! But there is more, so much more! What exactly happened to Ambrose Wells and what kind of person was he before he decided to attempt a somersault a few stories high? Who are those people who names resonate of Greek philosophers? What kind of weird society was Ambrose presiding over? What is going to happen in December at the next scheduled meeting? And most importantly, why is A having all kinds of weird and recurring nightmares? A great story that plays with both form and content. For those who enjoy Stephen King, Love

When the law (Pat Garrett) meets the outlaw (Billy the Kid), gunfire happens! In this 2010 extremely well researched text, author Mark Lee Gardner traces the clash between Billy and Pat, and the infamous years of 1880 and 1881 leading to Billy’s (still somewhat strange) death. A fascinating tale of the Wild West, guns, horses, gambling and cattle. Saddle-up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!

Everybody knows about the Pinkerton Agency. Yet, probably less people know about the man behind it all: Allan Pinkerton. Allan and his wife Joan came to the USA in the 1840’s. Allan was to be a cooper, as was his trade in Scotland. Little did he know he was to be the father of one of the most notorious law enforcement agencies on the continent. Studying the life and work of Allan Pinkerton year by year, the author does a great job at allowing the reader a peak into what it means to be one of the most thorough crime fighters in history. Enlightening!

John Charming has a lot of issues. Yes, he is a Charming, kissing princesses, fighting dragons and all. But this was a long time ago. Now, he is a bartender in a small town in Virginia. Yet, his peaceful days behind the counter are almost over. When Sig, a tall gorgeous blonde walks into his bar, John soon realizes his life is about to change, not necessarily for the better. In episode 100 we discuss both “Charming” and “Daring”, books 1 and 2 of the Pax Arcana series. An hilarious, fast pace read featuring John Charming, Prince, Knight, Werewolf, Renegade and all together badass with a exceptional supply of punchlines, smart aleck comments and loaded guns. I strongly recommend! :D

John Taylor really does not want to go back to the Nightside, that shady weird underside of London, where all types of mythical creatures dwell, good and bad. But when a rich lady comes begging to help her find her missing teenager, John cannot say no. Plus she is offering a lot of money! And just like that John is back in the Nightside! His reputation for locating things with his “gift” precedes him. Clearly John and the Nightside have a history. Could be because of his mother? In episode 99, we discuss both “Something from the Nightside” (looking for the missing teenager) and “Agents of Light and Darkness” (who stole the Unholy Grail?), books 1 and 2 of the Nightside series. Fun (and funny) little novels. Highly enjoyable! Can’t wait to read all the others and tie the loose ends :)

New York, 1845. The Irish population is increasing with new immigrants coming by the dozens every day. The “copper stars” are born. A few children are found dead. Three events that look like they have nothing in common; yet, they are deeply intertwined. This is what Timothy Wilde, ex-bartender turned “copper” is going to find out.  In this mystery novel told from Tim’s point of view, the reader is thrown into the slums of New York. Very-well written with an abundant use of “flash” speech (slang of the time and place), the reader will follow Tim as he pieces the reasons why 10 year old Bird Daly came running to him one fine evening, her nightgown covered in blood…

New York, 1896. The city is devastated and shocked! Young boys have been found dead, utterly mutilated. The police does not even know where to begin. New York City police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, reaches out to two of his college buddies: one John Moore, our narrator and New York Times journalist, and one Laszlo Kreizler, an alienist. With new methods and in the wake of H.H Holmes’ and The London Ripper’s killings, a team of five including Moore and Kreizler will try to profile and hunt a new breed of New York murderer: the serial killer!  

New father, new boarding school, new “friends” (if you can call the girls in school “friends”), a twin sister gone and an insane mother. Oh, and of course that father you have never seen before takes you away from Wales to England,  so now, you also have to deal with culture shock. Great! This is Mori’s life in a nutshell. And to add insult to injury, she needs the help of a stick to help her walk, making her the pariah of her new boarding school. Awful, right? Well it would be if it weren’t for Sci-Fi novels and faeries. Yes, faeries! They do make life a bit better, if you know where to look. A great Hugo Award winner that takes you through Mori’s life at 15. Written in the form of a diary, the novel takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of a teenager discovering love, life and whole bookshelves of Sci-Fi novels :)

Welcome to the Intrepid! Congratulations, you are a brand new ensign on a famous spaceship. You have your life of adventures ahead of you. Yet you notice that as soon as a senior officer comes along asking for volunteers for an “away mission”, most of your team mates suddenly disappear, following an irresistible craving for coffee or disappearing into closets for inventory. Something weird is going on! Better ask Jenkins. Jenkins knows. But what Jenkins has to say about why most ensigns who go on “away missions” die freakish deaths is almost too much to fathom. The knowledge will take our crew of ensigns all the way back to the 21st century Hollywood, bringing with them a few answers and a whole lot of questions. A fun read that asks deep questions. Highly entertaining but profound just as much!

A very difficult language to follow but a tremendous story of love and honor. Christopher Tietjens is torn between a wife he hates but cannot divorce, and a young lady he loves but cannot be with. All this in the middle of World War One! More than a mere love story, this is the story of a changing society and what its people need to do (or give up) to adapt and survive. The new versus the old, tradition versus change and new beginnings. A difficult but rewarding read. In this episode we talk as much about the book as about the mini series with Benedict Cumberbatch.

Thomas Fowler, British reporter in his 50s, has been in Saigon for a few years, happily living with Phuong, his young Vietnamese mistress. Despite the conflict between the French and the Viet Minhs, life is not so bad. Until the arrival of Pyle. Alden Pyle is an American, very well mannered, quiet, and in love with Phuong. Will this love destroy his friendship with Fowler? But what if Pyle had ulterior motives? Why is he really in Saigon? Could he have been sent on a special mission? What if there was more than the eye could see and more at stake politically than everyone knows? A wonderful story of love in the midst of political intrigues by a world famous British author :)

What happens when you steal a cat from the past? Does the whole course of history changes? What can you do to make sure what is supposed to happen actually does happen? Do you bring the cat back? And where on earth is the bird stump? Those are a few of the questions Ned will have to answer. In doing so, this time traveler from the 2050′s will have to spend some time in the Victorian era, learn to be trusted by the people whose life he hopes the cat situation has not altered (too much!), and bring back the bird stump for Lady Schrapnell’s consecration. A really funny book with deep underground themes along the time of determinism, free will, time, space and the many lives of cats! But we can’t really expect any less from a Hugo and Nebula award winner now, can we?

Matthew is an unassuming research assistant at MIT. Somewhat mediocre, nothing special about him really. Except that one fine day, the time machine he is working on disappears and reappears almost instantaneously. Matt decides to investigate, and, why not, see where it is willing to take him. He thus embarks on a journey from one future to the next, each further away. Can the machine go back or is it only capable of taking Matt further away towards the end of times? And more importantly, what type of humanity is he going to encounter? New and improved? Or same old same old?