Chapter Twenty-three

It's September. And I know that a lot of people have been waiting for it. Baseball fans because the regular season is winding down and the playoffs will start. Football fans because the season has just started. And people like me, who wait for the start of the new, Network TV season. More on that later.

Miscellaneous

Interworld - Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves ($16.99/$1.00, 239 pages, copyright 2007, Hard Cover)
I grabbed this up when I saw it because it was by Neil Gaiman. Later, I realized that it was for Young Readers. Oh well. Our hero, Joey, finds out that he's a Walker and can travel to other Earths in other dimensions, each slightly different from each other. An interesting idea that falls by the wayside when the authors bring in a war for total control between magic and science with Joey and an army of himselves (each different from each other) trying to prevent it. The authors tried to pitch this originally to TV executives, but no one bit. Maybe it would work better as a graphic novel. It was OK.

Series

Darkness, Take My Hand - Dennis Lehane ($7.99/$.50, 355 pages, copyright 1996, Paperback)
This is the second in Lehane's Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro series, and it is way darker then the first. It starts with a Prologue that sets up the foreboding atmosphere that pervades the book. Sure, it starts with our protagonists still having fun, and involved in a menacing stalker kind of case but it quickly becomes so much more. Mob figures, cops, crazy gunmen, and a serial killer who's been operating off the radar for years weave through this in ways that will keep you guessing. I enjoyed it.

Cold Service - Robert B. Parker ($9.99/$.50, 336 pages, copyright 2005, Paperback)
I've mentioned before what I call the Spenser Effect - where the protagonist has a partner who handles all the really dirty work. No one does it better then the original. In this one, Hawk (the partner) is seriously wounded while trying to protect a family. He seeks revenge. Spenser's moral code demands that he go along. Add in cops, corrupt officials, mobsters, and some amazing dialog and you get a great read. I enjoyed it.

Other Notes

As I mentioned earlier, the new Network TV season has started. (I only have limited, basic service so they are pretty much all I get.) I've seen a few and I have to admit that nothing seems to jump out at me.
I found "Person of Interest" ...interesting There was a good twist in the first episode, but I'll reserve judgement for now.
I thought the first episode of "Prime Suspect" to be incredibly sexist, and unrealistic because of that.
This seems to be a season for funny women. "Two Broke Girls", "New Girl", and "Whitney" had some amusing moments but I probably won't see too much of them due to scheduling.
"The Playboy Club" and Pan Am" seem to the Networks attempt to capitalize on the success of "Mad Men". I don't intend to watch either.
I am looking forward to "Terra Nova" and "Grimm". If they're still around next month, maybe I'll give you my opinion. Till then...

Keep reading.