Bugs by Theodore Roszak
A girl dreams killer bugs into existence. The bugs pour out of the computers and attack. This is a gross faux pas and is nonsensical.
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Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory
The latest in the ‘Tudor Court’ saga tells of Margaret Tudor, Mary Tudor and their sister-in-law Katherine of Aragon. These three young women will become the Queens of Scotland, France and England. Looming over them all is the shadow of the prurient injudicious Henry VIII who Gregory writes as a total psychotic in properly theatrical fashion. Mary and her eagerness to please is married off to a pervert, Katherine is a pious hypocrite who causes much pain to Margaret and Margaret feels ignored and excluded and makes rash decisions while never being able to see how far-reaching the consequences of such incidents can be. This is not a particularly striking novel but it is good as Margaret overcomes thwarted dreams and sleazeballs and gains independence of thought and action.
Best Lines:
“Confine your husband’s ambition and his violence to your bedroom where, I suppose, you like it.”
“Her own life as Harry’s ageing barren wife is guttering away like a candle clock.”
“My father swore an oath that no-one from the old royal family would ever take back what the Tudors won at Bosworth.”
“Now watches her husband walk past her to a younger woman.”
“She shines like poison.”
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Blood Trail by Tanya Huff
This is the 2nd in the ‘Vicki Nelson Mysteries’ series. Originally published in 1992 it was reprinted in 2004 and sees Vicki and her vampire side-ass the highly manipulative Henry help out some werewolves. Whilst Vicki’s other side-ass Celluci wanders around. People rage at each other with hostility. Henry and Vicki are so uncomplicatedly repulsive, the werewolves have dishonest actions, denials and arrogance, everyone is a difficult individual and this was not rapturously received.
Celluci’s love for Vicki is repaid with contempt. Vicki and her insane egotism bore, there is no legitimate antagonist in this book and the plot is not inherently resonant. Not so good decisions are made and it left my heart untouched.