The Lair of the White Worm / Bram Stoker

 

The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my selection for the birthday challenge of the Dead Writers Society, as Stoker was born in November. Bram Stoker was only 64 when he wrote this, his final novel. Somehow it feels like the writing of a much older or less capable author.

The basic idea of the story is apparently built upon the legend of the Lambton worm. Now those of us who have read Tolkien will realize that worm = dragon, perhaps not self evident to all modern readers. So the title gives us a strong hint of what's coming. Unlike his earlier work, Stoker seems to have abandoned any attempt to be subtle. He signals blatantly what is ahead when his protagonist, Adam Salton, buys himself a mongoose to accompany him on his exploration of the English countryside. Being an Australian, invited to England by his great-uncle, he manages to step outside the English class system, which he displays by fixing a neighbour's carriage on the road.

The neighbour, Arabella March, is described as a sinuous beauty, always dressed in white. Adam encounters her on one of his neighbourhood walks and loses control of his pet mongoose, which attacks Ms. March in the same way it launches itself at snakes. There is no mystery here. The biggest surprise would be if Arabella wasn't supernaturally linked to the White Worm of legend. What is odd is that her strange connections seem to provide no material benefits; she is hunting for a wealthy husband to deal with her growing debts. The object of her hunt is the hereditary aristocrat in the vicinity, Edgar Caswell, who seems to be as loathsome as Arabella is. He is a narcissist before that psychiatric diagnosis is used. For some unexplained reason, he is desirous of dominating Lilla, a young woman on a nearby farm. Adam Salton is offended by this, as he has an eye on Lilla's cousin, Mimi, and feels protective of both of them. I ended up wondering how Adam et al. were going to deal with the White Worm, rather than being perplexed by the mysteriousness of the situation. It seems to me that a great deal more tension could have been created with a more judicious doling out of the clues.

Stoker makes good use of Biblical symbolism, naming his main character Adam and setting him up against a woman/snake. Shades of the Garden of Eden! Edgar Caswell gets his chance to fill Satan's role, providing a strange motivation for most of his incomprehensible actions. He gives his villain speech on the top of his tower during a powerful thunderstorm.

I found that misunderstanding science is nothing new, as Stoker has both Adam and Sir Nathaniel spouting some seriously inaccurate versions of evolution. A long lived creature can adapt in behaviour, but not decrease in size or change its basic intelligence. One wonders if Stoker believed this or if he just let his characters run amok. Also notable to me was the attitude to the one African in the book, that he was subhuman. It reminded me of Tarzan of the Apes, which I read earlier this year and which was published the year after this one.



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The Jewel of Seven Stars / Bram Stoker

 

The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

We all know Bram Stoker as the author of Dracula. I knew that he had written other books and decided that Halloween 2021 would be a fine time to try one of them out. I'm no stranger to Mummy tales, having read works as diverse as Curse of the Kings by Victoria Holt, The Mummy by Anne Rice, and the short story Lost in a Pyramid or the Mummy's Curse by Louisa May Alcott. This one has a slightly different twist.

The pace of the story is slow and there is a lot of agonizing done by the narrator, Malcom Ross. The poor guy is deeply in love and is both concerned and thrilled when his lady love summons him in the middle of the night because she needs a strong shoulder to lean upon. Her father, an eccentric Egyptologist, has been injured and collapsed in their home. He seems to be in a coma of some kind, although there is no evidence of a head injury. When Ross arrives, a doctor and the police are summoned, with our man making sure that they are suitable. Since he is a well known lawyer, everyone falls in with his plans. However, things get weird(er). Mr. Trelawny has left a letter stating that if weirdness should happen, he is not to be removed from his room full of Egyptian curios and that none of those antiquities should be removed. His lawyer is consulted, only to tell them they must do things the great man's way. So there are many odd, vague goings on. Interestingly, there are two endings given. I didn't find either of them exceptionally satisfying, but given my druthers, I'd pick the happier of the two.

The novel seemed to me to be a bit like Frankenstein, with everyone willing to comply with Trelawny's experiment without really wondering if it was a good idea. I also thought about H. Rider Haggard's fiction, with his penchant for the mysterious, African settings, and Victorian “gentlemen" despoiling foreign countries to build their collections. The mysterious female mummy reminded me of Haggard's Ayesha, star of his novel She.

I can definitely see why this novel didn't achieve the same level of fame as Dracula. It's a bit nebulous concerning what is exactly going on and Stoker drags it on longer than necessary.




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The Three Damosels / Vera Chapman

 

The Three Damosels by Vera Chapman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Halloween Bingo 2021

This collection of three short novels are intertwined, all examinations of the King Arthur legend. When I was in my teens (more years ago than I can believe), I read the third novel, King Arthur's Daughter. It was my first brush with Arthur and it started me on a lifelong reading pattern, trying out the many versions of Arthurian fiction. I was excited when I found a used copy of this anthology for a reasonable price and I nabbed it.

It was a treat to finally read the first two books, but I was shocked when I made it to my remembered favourite and very little was familiar. It has been a long, long time. But I see very clearly why Vera Chapman's fiction inspired me so much. She features the women of Arthur's court: Vivian, Lynette, and Ursulet—the three damosels of the anthology title. Despite the limitations on femininity, they forge roles for themselves and are crucial to the tales. Also, Chapman includes magic unapologetically. Morgan le Fay is a dark rival to Merlin, another prominent female presence.

Chapman rejigs some of the genealogy of these mythic figures, but as she notes in a foreword, that has been a tradition by bards and jongleurs for centuries. From that time period, daughters are insignificant and Chapman gives Arthur a daughter, Ursulet, who could easily be left out of the official history. Chapman tells a very compressed version, in fact, using legendary characters to populate the story and relying on their iconic status to tell the reader what to expect. The action is unceasing and there is little effort spent on setting or fleshing out the plot. I found myself using descriptions of court life from other books to help me envisage the surroundings.

These works are a combination of the mythic and historical detail, obviously a patriotic work, showing why the British people can believe themselves to be exceptional. Chapman states very clearly that the blood of Arthur infuses them and one day Arthur will come again, dare I say it, to make Britain great again. I'm very glad to have revisited the third novel and to have finally read the first two. I certainly see why it appealed to my romantic teenage notions of history especially since Canada was still strongly linked to Britain when I was first exposed to Chapman's writing. I still enjoyed it a great deal, but I'm much less nostalgic now. I will hang on to this volume, I think, and read it again in the future.




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Lord Edgware Dies / Agatha Christie

 

Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Agatha Christie almost always fools me and this novel is no exception. I try so hard, just like Arthur Hastings, and I have just as much luck as him. Poor Hastings, Christie writes him so thick headed, stubborn, and easily misled. I also wonder how he can spend so much time in England and away from his wife and financial life in Argentina. But that's beside the point, I guess.

Between Hastings and Japp, the two of them allow Poirot to explain his theories to the reader. Poirot may use the little grey cells a lot, but there's no easy way for us to appreciate his virtuosity without an audience. Hastings may doubt his friend's sanity or debate with Japp if Poirot is past his best-before date, seemingly during every book. But you would think after eight installments he would have learned that his own instincts were off kilter. Poirot realizes it and tells his sidekick that he judges what the murderer is trying to make Poirot believe by what Hastings believes. Hastings is convinced every time by the killer's ruses.

I never feel like I can discuss the details of the plot for fear of spoiling things for readers who are more attentive to detail than I am. But I do think I can safely say that Hastings represents the common, conservative Englishman in Christie's books. Completely and erroneously convinced of their own superiority despite all the evidence to the contrary.

I enjoy matching wits with Ms Christie and I'm always entertained by the twisty path that she leads me on while on the way to the solution. I think I am more pleased with being hoodwinked than I have been on the rare occasions when I anticipated the correct answer.


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Slough House / Mick Herron

 

Slough House by Mick Herron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you aren't reading the Slough House spy novels yet, what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of Slow Horses and get going! You are unlikely to regret it and you have lots of reading pleasure ahead.

I couldn't put this book down last night—I read until I ran out of words. Mick Herron nails the spy genre, creating characters that I care about, turning them loose in a dangerous city, and giving them enemies both foreign and domestic to cope with. Herron has a keen grasp on contemporary politics and you have zero doubts about his views on the state of affairs. I love his dark sense of humour and his sharp commentary on politicians and bureaucrats in addition to the espionage biz. I appreciate how Herron works events from the current news into his plotlines: Brexit, Yellow Vests, Novichok and Russian “tourists," for example. Although some of his references may not age well, I think the quality of the narrative will hold up to the test of time.

Despite the attrition rate at Slough House, many of the regulars are still there. Jackson Lamb takes his place at the centre of this novel, asserting his exclusive right to bedevil his slow horses. It's like siblings—we can bad mouth each other, but we'll stand together against the criticism of others. Though the slow horses may be failures, they are his failures, they are still joes, and Lamb protects them or avenges them as necessary. Don't get me wrong—I’ve always appreciated Lamb. He is the archetype of the horrible boss, but when the chips are down, he defends his own and I love him for it. We still don't know why he's attempting to drink and smoke himself to death or why he dresses like a homeless person, but those characteristics provide excellent cover.

Unusually, Herron ends this volume on a cliffhanger. The next book cannot come out fast enough for me! I will be on tenterhooks until that time, but at least I know there will be another book. I will make an appropriate sacrifice to the Goddess of Book Publishing in thanks.




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Kushiel's Chosen / Jacqueline Carey

 

Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think Jacqueline Carey was channeling Mary Renault and Guy Gavriel Kay while she was writing this novel. The fantasy setting is recognizable as a version of historical Renaissance Europe, altered to accommodate Carey's plotline. Straight historical fantasy would be too limiting, so she makes adjustments like Kay does. She also includes supernatural elements, slightly more prominently than Kay's work. Once the action arrived at Carey's version of Crete, I couldn't help but think of Mary Renault's ancient history settings, especially as Phedre meets the descendants of King Minos.

So, in this fantasy setting, Carey writes a sexy spy thriller. Phedre reminds me of Angelique from the multiple-book series by Anne Golan featuring the French adventuress. Somehow, Phedre is always at the centre of things, despite her lowly beginnings. Her sexuality is part of her rise to prominence (like the aforementioned Angelique), combined with her covert training with her deceased sponsor, Delaunay. She has skill as a linguist and is a devoted student of literature and history. When stated like that, she sounds like a Mary Sue character, but I tended to overlook that because so many things seem to go wrong with her plans.

The largest supernatural intervention in Phedre's world seems to be the influence of the gods in the lives of their worshippers. Several times in this novel, they seem to intervene to save Phedre's life, only to leave her in yet another desperate situation. It is maybe not an advantage to be marked by a god.

The action is unflagging, there are twists and turns, and for the last few chapters I couldn't set the book down. Even after the major plot is dealt with, there remain urgent tasks requiring attention. Only the very last chapter lets the reader come back to reality gently, willing to let go of Phedre until the time comes to pick up the next volume.

Book number 426 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.



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Joy in the Morning / P.G. Wodehouse

 

Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wodehouse never fails to delight. He is my choice for the DWS October birthday selection and I am pleased. Bertie, being unable to stand up for himself effectively, is forever becoming engaged to strong minded young women, outraging senior relatives, and offending his former schoolmates. Happily, in this novel, Jeeves doesn't have to rescue him from every problem, although he does provide the background support and encourages the well-timed escape.

As usual, Wodehouse writes like a dream, beautiful sentences which describe hilarious situations with ridiculous vocabulary. At least that's my posish, and I'm sticking to it. I love that Bertie is never too proud to make a fool of himself or to flee a bad situation.

I must branch out, one of these days, and try some of Wodehouse's non-Jeeves literature. Perhaps next October.

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