Booklog: books 40, 41, 42

the first three books of April:

40) Brian Minchin -- Torchwood: The Sin Eaters

Re-listen of the Torchwood audiobook narrated by Gareth David-Lloyd, previously reviewed here.

41) Stevie Carroll -- The Monitors

Re-read of this short story included in the anthology Echoes of Possibilities. It was long-listed for the Tiptree, and with good reason.

42) John Buchan -- The 39 Steps

Written in 1915 and definitely of its time regarding social attitudes, but enormous fun.

http://www.librarything.com/work/3661/

Book log: 43) Agatha Christie -- Why Didn't They Ask Evans? [audiobook]

Abridged on three CDs, and read by Jenny Funnell. This is a standalone mystery without any of Christie's regular characters. It features a pair of bright young things who become suspicious about the circumstances of an accident and decide to investigate. Naturally, they don't take their suspicions to the police, and in various other ways prove themselves too stupid to live, including walking into really obvious traps. None of which actually matters, because it's very amusing watching them being too stupid to live. Christie very gently sends up her characters while keeping them sympathetic. The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired, but I had a lot of fun picking my way through the red herrings. Not her best work, but still an enjoyable way to pass three hours.

http://www.librarything.com/work/3137/

WIP: 7 of 77

Post your work in progress, page 77 or page 7, lines 7-14, no cheating.

I shall join in the current fad for the annoying of one's blog readership by posting lines 7-14 from page 77 or 7 of the WIP. :-)

Here's an extract from page 7 of Circle of Glass (currently in first revision pass):

development next year. Only when some of our suppliers heard that one of the engineers was going to be with easy reach, they asked if they could show _me_ new toys." He pulled the mugs out of the cupboard and set them down by the kettle. "I do enjoy both sides, but it's hard keeping straight of whether I'm sucking up or being sucked up to."

"You could get whiplash," I said, trying to take my mind off thoughts of sucking, and/or thoughts of liking it both ways.

"It's not bad, just tense," he said. "You know, people like SF because they like SF. There's a

And here's a snippet from page 77 of Taxman (in progress as soon as my hands are working well enough again):

Danny, I still think that you might be best off going back to your own people and getting them to sort this out."

The computer beeped and Danny started typing rapidly.

Don't think I can get through the walls like this. And they might know to look for me there. Could be risky to try, if it turns out I can't open a gate in a hurry.

"He's right," Luke said. "If they've made a connection

I will refrain from posting a similar snippet from L&M3 because it will only get Certain People excited about something they're not going to see even in first draft for at least a year. :->

I'm not convinced that this does an awful lot for anyone except those of us who have already seen the manuscripts in question...