On the Banks of Lethe

Title: On the Banks of Lethe
Author: James L. Grant
Published: 2006 by StoneGarden.net Publishing
Genre: Creepy horror.
Pages: 329


Ah! I finished this almost two weeks ago already! But then I packed it, and unpacked it straight into the bookshelf, and forgot that I hadn't written about it. Shame on me.

This was the second time I've read Lethe, and luckily I had forgotten many of the bigger plot points towards the end, and therefore I was adequately shocked and surprised. Which was nice, there aren't many books that have properly spooked me in ages. Not that I read many horror books, thanks to long, dark nights and an overactive imagination.

So. Lethe. Charles is a young, up-coming artist with a sweet deal on a series of book covers, but some uncomfortable worries as well. No wonder then that he's more than a little suspicious when he suddenly gets a phone call from a woman saying she loves him and she's flying to come and be with him. Charles, however, has no idea who she is. But she's coming. And she sure knows a lot about him.

Ooh, got distracted by the phone. Sorry.

Charles and the completely forgotten Becks do meet up, and what follows is one scary, twisted ride through years and *spoilers*. I don't want to say too much since I'd like to make people I know read this damn book. Or one of Mr. Grant's webcomics, like Manuel the Wonder Snail, or Two Lumps, which he draws and his wife writes. Or Flem. Maybe not Flem, it can will make you queasy. But Lethe is a nice, scary place to start.


"So, down to the real meat of the subject," she said after about a minute of silence. "You want to know the reason I hopped a flight out here on no notice, called up and probably terrified a famous painter, and have all this spooky knowledge of you."

"Hmm." I feigned nonchalant indecisiveness. "Yes, yes I think you put that very aptly, Miss McGraw."

The Crown of Valencia

Title: The Crown of Valencia
Author: Catherine Friend
Published: 2007 by Bold Strokes
Genre: Time traveling historical romance stuff
Pages: 283


Maybe I should finally write about this, considering that I've almost finished another book already after reading this one. Also, I'm in the middle of moving to another apartment right now, well, not this exact minute, or even day, but if I write about this now I won't forget about it in all the hassle. Blah blah blah!

Anyway! The Crown of Valencia! Sequel to Friend's The Spanish Pearl! I can't say much without a lot of spoilers, so... in the last book, Kate Vincent accidentally fell through a cave into 11th century Spain, leaving behind a life in our time. In the Crown, her history-loving ex Anna has discovered a way to follow her to the past, and is now ignoring the greatest rule of time travel: don't fuck with history, or shit will get serious. But she just can't resist meddling.

Shit then gets serious. With a lot of humour, though. But you know what I mean, right?

I thoroughly enjoyed this as much as the first part. Again, there was a nice enough amount of violence against nether regions. But there could always be so much more. Friend needs to write a lot more books. Now, please?


"Without turning her head, Anna flicked one finger toward me, and I was yanked off my feet, my head driven back by a thick arm. An ice cold dagger bit into my exposed throat. "Oh god," I muttered between clenched teeth, my feet dangling above the floor.

""Luis Navarro." Anna's voice dropped low. "Drop your pants before Rodrigo, or Kate Vincent is dead.""


Hee hee. That sounds... interesting out of context. Now I can pack this baby!