Mole Hunt

The Maximus Black Files: Book 1

by Paul Collins

Ford St Publishing. Australian, Science Fiction, Young Adult. Paperback RRP $19.95

Guest Reviewer - Di Bates

Mole Hunt is the first book in a science fiction series set in the future and in a universe far beyond earth, a place with floating cities where people can regenerate and mankind is out of control, killing and maiming at will. The protagonist – and anti-hero -- is teenager Maximus Black, who works for galactic law enforcement agency, RIM. He is a tightly-drawn, unlikeable psychopath trained to kill – and he does: he also commissions others to do his terrible bidding. Orphaned at the age of six when his parents are murdered, Black is so enraged by their deaths that he seeks to exact revenge: he plans to amass an enormous cache of Old Empire weapons as his way of controlling the galaxy. Black is extremely clever, able to cover his devious tracks as he progresses towards his goals.

There are two narrative points of view in the novel, that of Black and Anneke Longshadow, both of whom are orphans, pitted against one another. Black, a mole who has infiltrated the RIM operation, has no conscience, whereas Longshadow has. Early in the book she sets out to unearth the mole, her quest made more urgent when her adoptive father, her uncle Viktus is murdered. Conflict occurs when, in a world full of spies and secret agents, the Black and Longshadow again and again work out ways to dominate one another.

This fast-paced and bloody tale, tightly-plotted and exciting, is marketed as a young adult novel, but it is really cross-over, also ideal for adult reading. Highly recommended.

The Reading Stack reviewed Paul Collin's picture book The Glasshouse in October 2010.

http://www.paulcollins.com.au/

Last Chance Café

by Liz Byrski

Pan Macmillan. Australian, Adult Fiction. Paperback RRP $32.99

Reviewer - Barbara Brown

I was looking forward to opening Last Chance Café and getting lost again in the wonderful writings of Liz Byrski - and I was not disappointed. This time around I have also recommended it to my husband to read as it is a wonderful story of relationships and secrets.

Margot is on the verge of turning 70 when she realises she has never accomplished what she set out to achieve in her twenties. Is it too late for an older woman to reinvent herself and follow a passion long ago lost?

Dot was Margot’s best friend but had disappeared on one of her many adventurous journ

eys. An accomplished journalist and activist, she returns to the local Melbourne suburb in spectacular fashion. Can a secret that she has kept hidden from her best friend since the 60’s be kept locked up or will it help heal Dot and her tortured life to bring it out into the open?

Phyllida is Margot’s completely opposite sister. She has been married for 50 years and on the night of their anniversary, Donald, her husband, is rushed to hospital with an aneurism. The one constant thing in Phyllida’s life has changed. Can a woman who has never looked at anything other than what is face value start to read between the lines and see all the deceits and lies that may have been there?

These three women may be the crux of this story but there are many minor players who are just as important and strong in Last Chance Café - Margot’s two daughters and ex-husband, the old Polish woman and her nephew, and the young activist neighbour of Dot’s. A wonderful story with a historical background of Australia’s awakening to the 60’s.

The Reading Stack reviewed Liz Byrski’s Bad Behaviour in September 2009.

http://www.lizbyrski.com.au/

Stolen Girl

by Trina Saffioti and illustrated by Norma MacDonald

Magabala Books. Australian, Picture. Paperback RRP $19.95

Guest Reviewer - Jo Burnell

This easy-read picture book lingers in the mind and heart long after the story is told. A young girl, taken from her Aboriginal mother, remembers. Everyone she loves is taken from her. In return, she receives a new name and hand-me-down clothes.

She gets into trouble if she speaks her native tongue and is not supposed to remember the world she was taken from. The sorrow and helplessness of Stolen Children is depicted with heart breaking simplicity.

When an older girl is chosen as a domestic servant to a white family, she is seen as one of the lucky ones. This strengthens the little girl’s determination to believe and remember her old life. She dreams of her mother, her people’s stories and her land. Will she succeed in escaping?

The story ends on a hopeful note, but I couldn’t help wondering about the tens of thousands of Stolen Children who never saw their families again.

While young children will enjoy the simplicity of language and beautiful illustrations, Stolen Girl is for people of all ages. It allows those with no idea about the Stolen Generations to be dipped in the harsh reality this Government Policy created.

Stolen Girl is a Timeless Treasure.

The Goannas of No 1 Martin Place

Vicki Steggall and illustrations by Danny Snell

ABC Books. Australian, Picture, Children. Hardback RRP $24.99


Moreton and his parents, Go-ma and Go-pa live in the beautiful Sydney Botanic Gardens. Their life is perfect except more and more of those pesky humans are invading their home. So Go-pa goes out searching for the perfect spot – sunny, away from humans and high.

Finally Go-pa comes home one evening with the exciting news of a new home - No 1 Martin Place is the GPO clock tower and at the top is a little glass room. Perfect for a goanna family - quiet, sunny and away from humans.

Soon after Martin is born and life for Moreton becomes even better with a little brother to play with. But they learn that there is someone who doesn’t like the goanna family living on his turf, the Pitt Street Cat.

Moreton befriends some unlikely helpers in the quest to get rid of the mean and nasty Pitt Street Cat so everyone can live a safe and happy life in No 1 Martin Place.

The Goannas of No 1 Martin Place is a story of unusual friendships and life in the big city told from the unusual perspective of a goanna. With the eye-catching illustrations you can enjoy the story even more. The Pitt Street Cat is a mean looking fellow!

A book that children will treasure. When you take them to Sydney the first sightseeing stop will be the GPO clock tower – where they might just catch a glimpse of a little goanna.

http://www.dannysnell.com/flash.html

Death Mask

by Kathryn Fox

Pan Macmillan. Australian, Crime, Thriller. Paperback RRP $32.99


Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown

This is a powerful book about the culture of American football heroes although it could be set anywhere and based on any sport.

Death Mask starts with a young bride about to marry Brett, her boyfriend and a major football star. Hannah, a virgin, has saved herself for her wedding night but ends up contracting multiple sexually transmitted diseases.

When a woman is raped by five major football players no one believes her despite all the evidence. It causes a major scandal and the media and fans blame her.

Dr Anya Crichton, a forensic and sexual assault expert, is asked to get involved by the team managers. As she investigates further she uncovers a history of violence and abuse that she could not have imagined.

With the help of private investigator Ethan, they attempt to find the truth.

Death Mask is a fast paced thriller that is hard to put down. You never know what is about to happen. Highly recommended.

http://www.kathrynfox.com/

Chic on a Shoestring

by Mary Jane Baxter

Simon and Schuster. Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback RRP $29.99

Here is a wonderful book that I just had to possess. Money is a bit tight these days and I love to “collect” things and in my world of recycling and reusing, Chic on a Shoestring is perfect.

Have you got some wonderful outfits in the wardrobe that no longer fit or are a bit unfashionable but you don’t want to throw them out? I have and Mary Jane Baxter has shown me how to give my clothes, shoes, bags and hats a new lease on life. Even my broken jewellery can be created into some wonderful new accessories.

Who knew that an old tie could be reused into a cute purse, or the 60’s pom pom – wow what you can do with them! A change of a few buttons and voilà, your dress, cardigan, jeans or jumper have a trendy new lease of life. There is very little sewing and what there is, is explained step by step in the front of the book. So no excuses!

This is great for new ideas - my cheap plain umbrella has been transformed into a striking accessory for trudging through the rain!

http://www.maryjanemillinery.co.uk/

Passion

by Lauren Kate

Random House. Young Adult, Fantasy. Paperback RRP $24.95

Reviewer - Barbara Brown

This was a highly anticipated third book about Luce and Daniel. However I was a little disappointed as the whole book is about Luce travelling backwards to find out why she has to die every time she kisses Daniel. Daniel is also travelling back in time to try and find Luce and to stop her from getting trapped. The last 13 pages of this 420 page novel are when the two finally get together! And of course it was worth it but just a little bit frustrating.

Passion is about Luce, a human, and her angelic soul mate Daniel, a fallen angel. Luce must solve why her past lives have always ended up in a flaming death, usually after a very passionate embrace with Daniel. So why does Luce not die when she kisses Daniel in this lifetime?

Both Daniel and Luce are battling their feelings for each other and working out why Luce doesn’t combust every time they are together. Is it because Luce has no faith and has never been baptized? Or does it go back to how Daniel became a fallen angel?

While Luce has help from a gargoyle named Bill, Daniel is on his own. When Satan manifests himself and decides to start meddling then things are set for a great battle in the last book.

Fallen and Torment are the first two books in this wonderful story of love, right and wrong, good and evil, heaven, earth and hell. And I would definitely recommend them. Rapture, the final tome will be out later this year. Can’t wait!

The Reading Stack reviewed Fallen and Torment in February 2010 and February 2011 respectively.

http://www.fallenbooks.com/

Follow the Money

by Peter Corris

Allen and Unwin. Australian, Crime, Mystery. Paperback RRP $29.99

Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown

Peter Corris has been writing about P.I. Cliff Hardy for a long time although this is the first Cliff Hardy novel I have read. Follow the Money, is set in Sydney. Cliff has lost his P.I. license and all his money thanks to his unscrupulous financial advisor. The advisor has disappeared, presumed dead, but there have been reports of him sighted.

Cliff has been asked by a lawyer to find the advisor and Cliff’s money. He manages to get bashed, shot at as he chases the money.

As a first time Hardy read this was a great place to start. Corris has created a truly likeable character. The plot has plenty of twists, lots of action, and set in the seed underbelly of Sydney.

The Reading Stack is a big fan of Peter Corris and has done several reviews of his works. In 2007 The Big Score, in 2008 Blood Brothers and Open File.

http://www.petercorris.net/

The Great Expedition

Written and Illustrated by Peter Carnavas

New Frontier Publishing. Australian, Picture book. Hardback RRP $24.95

Guest Reviewer - Jo Burnell

When illustrations partner with text to multiply viewpoints and reveal hidden meaning, a winner is born. The Great Expedition is one such winner.

The trials of Burke and Wills are mirrored in the modern day by two smaller heroes. Robert and Will head off with their brave and resourceful team under strict instructions as to their mission. Alas, things go wrong. Even the toughest fall by the way side. Thirst and harsh conditions threaten the expedition’s success.

Will anyone survive? This tale of friendship, resilience and courage is irresistible. Parallels with the historical expedition of Burke and Wills are poignant. I wonder if you’ll guess where these tiny travellers are trudging.

Don’t peek or you’ll spoil the surprise. The Great Expedition is a delight to explore, whether you are 3, 4, 104 or any age in between.

The Reading Stack reviewed Peter Carnavas' Sarah's Heavy Heart in June 2009.

http://petercarnavas.com/

White Heat

 by Melanie McGrath

Pan Macmillan. Mystery, Crime. Paperback RRP $32.95

Guest Reviewer - Anastasia Gonis

The setting for this fast-paced murder/mystery is the Arctic Circle where nature and the breathtaking frozen landscapes are the pivotal characters. Fearless Edie is a hunter, guide and teacher; a divorced woman doing a man’s job. For this she is ridiculed and marginalized but none-the-less more capable than most of the men of her area whose lives are ruled by manipulative and corrupt elders, alcoholism and boredom. Having grown up in the Inuit settlement, she is as familiar with every rock and rivulet of the tundra as with her life’s breath.

 

When her beloved stepson Joe dies and his death is ruled as suicide as a way to escape his gambling debts, Edie goes to pieces and back to the bottle she’d kicked two years previously. She absolutely rejects the possibility of suicide by a person who for years had dreamed and saved to make a life in nursing.

When the bones of two missing visitors are discovered and the deaths are again adeptly brushed aside, Edie takes matters into her own hands. She slowly links Joe’s death with the bones unable to stay hidden beneath their shroud of snow. For Edie knows bones. She is a hunter ‘as familiar with the icy ground as with her own skin’. It is this familiarity that results in her discovering the evidence she has been seeking, and claiming the truth denied to her.

The imagery is superb throughout the book. The reader can feel the chill of the wind and hear the sound of the water rushing by within the boundaries of the shrinking Arctic. The dips and rises of every turn are visible as is the sense of isolation in the inaccessible area. The Arctic is projected perfectly through the tense, tight, and precise prose woven by a knowledgeable sense of place, space and time.

http://www.melaniemcgrath.com/

Odd and the Frost Giants

by Neil Gaiman

Allen and Unwin. Children Fiction. Hardback RRP $22.99

This freezing cold Viking tale complete with Norse gods and a trip to Asgard tells the story of Odd, a young crippled boy.

Life is not easy for Odd. His father was killed in an accident and his mother has remarried Fat Elfred, who is not interested in a crippled stepson.

Odd spends most of his time in the woods. He loves the warm seasons and waits for winter to pass. But this time it goes on forever.

The Frost Giants have invaded Asgard and banished the gods – Thor, Loki and Odin to Midgard where humanity lives. When Odd saves a bear, a fox and an eagle he finds himself caught in the struggle to free the world from winter.

Can a crippled boy be any help to three powerful gods? Can he return the hammer that is beyond even Thor’s mighty reach?

With Odd and the Frost Giants, Neil Gaiman has ice-carved a new adventure in Norse mythology.

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book was reviewed in Issue 14 of The Reading Stack and Instructions in July 2010.

http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Abandon

by Meg Cabot

Pan Macmillan Australia. Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal. Paperback RRP $14.99.

Reviewer - Sandy Fussell


Abandon is the first book in the Abandon trilogy which is an imaginative telling loosely based on the Greek myth of Persephone. Persephone was abducted by Hades, ruler of the Netherworld.

Pierce is always getting into trouble – family problems, friend problems – and then there’s the murdered teacher. And like Persephone, Pierce has now attracted the attention of the Lord of the Underworld. John Hayden is dark and handsome and always turns up to rescue Pierce at just the right moment.

He is also violent and aggressive and he wants Pierce to stay in the Underworld with him forever. Even if she’s not dead.

Although Pierce wants John, she has already had a near death experience and never wants to go back to the netherworld. She is torn between her growing desire for John and a need to be part of the living world with her family and friends.

Abandon is a promise of the wider story to come and I am already looking forward to Book 2, Underworld, due for release in 2012.

This is paranormal with a difference. It’ll make you start to think very seriously about life after death.

http://www.megcabot.com/