Mary Balogh: Slightly married jne.

Mary Balogh on kirjoittanut historiallisia viihderomaaneja kymmenittäin, ja monet niistä muodostavat kirjasarjoja. Yksi sarjoista kertoo Bedwynin suvusta. Kirjojen otsikoissa on kaikissa sana "slightly", ja ne lienee paras lukea järjestyksessä, sillä samoja hahmoja esiintyy useammassa tarinassa. Melko hyvin Balogh tarinoita pyörittää, ja historiallinen ajankuvakin tuntuu kohtalaisen uskottavalta.

Slightly married (Piatkus, 2003; ISBN 978-0-7499-3753-9)

Meet the Bedwyn: six brothers and sisters—men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality…Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction, where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal and where Aidan Bedwyn, the marriage-shy second son, discovers that matrimony may be the most seductive act of all.

Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart—and it is this fierce loyalty that has brought Colonel Lord Aidan to Ringwood Manor to honor a dying soldier's request. Having promised to comfort and protect the man's sister, Aidan never expected to find a headstrong, fiercely independent woman who wants no part of his protection…nor did he expect the feelings this beguiling creature would ignite in his guarded heart. And when a relative threatens to turn Eve out of her home, Aidan gallantly makes her an offer she can't refuse: marry him...if only to save her home. And now, as all of London breathlessly awaits the transformation of the new Lady Aidan Bedwyn, the strangest thing happens: With one touch, one searing embrace, Aidan and Eve's “business arrangement” is about to be transformed into something slightly surprising.

Slightly wicked (Piatkus, 2010; ISBN 978-0-7499-3754-6)

With his laughing eyes and wild, rakish good looks, Lord Rannulf Bedwyn is a hard man to resist. To Judith Law, a woman in need of rescue when her stagecoach overturns, Rannulf is simply her savior, a heroic stranger she will reward with one night of reckless passion before she must become a companion to her wealthy aunt. Imagine Judith's shock when the same stranger turns out to be among England's most eligible bachelors…and when he arrives at Harewood Grange to woo her cousin. Certainly, they had made no vows, no promises, but Rannulf never did forget his uninhibited lover…nor did she forget that one delicious night. And as scandal sets the household abuzz, Rannulf proposes a solution…but when Judith refuses to have him—in love or wedlock—Rannulf has only one choice: to wage a campaign of pure pleasure to capture the heart of the woman who has already won his.

Slightly scandalous (Piatkus, 2010; ISBN 978-0-7499-3755-3)

Growing up with four unruly brothers made Lady Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. On a visit to Bath, Joshua Moore bursts into feisty Freyja's room, entreats beauty with tumbling hair to hide him. The hell-raiser, Marquess of Hallmere, asks her to pose as his fiancée, to thwart family matchmaking. The plan is perfect, until passion blindsides both.

Slightly tempted (Piatkus, 2009; ISBN 978-0-7499-3786-7)

From the moment he spies Lady Morgan Bedwyn across the glittering ballroom, Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn, knows he has found the perfect instrument of his revenge. But wedlock is not on the mind of the continent’s most notorious rake. Nor is it of interest to the fiercely independent Lady Morgan herself…until one night of shocking intimacy erupts in a scandal that could make Gervase’s vengeance all the sweeter. There is only one thing standing in his way: Morgan, who has achieved the impossible—she’s melted his coolly guarded heart. For Gervase, only the marriage bed will do, but Morgan simply will not have him. Thus begins a sizzling courtship where two wary hearts are about to be undone by the most scandalous passion of all: glorious, all-consuming love.

Slightly sinful (Piatkus, 2009; ISBN 978-0-7499-3787-4)

When the four lady residents of a brothel in Brussels lose their life savings to a confidence man, their friend Rachel York, who introduced him to them, feels responsible even though all her money has been stolen too. She vows to help them recover their savings, but in order to do that she needs to get her hands on the jewels she will inherit at the age of twenty-five. And in order to do that, she needs to acquire a husband--fast.

Enter Lord Alleyne Bedwyn, who is recuperating at the brothel from wounds sustained at the Battle of Waterloo. Alleyne may have lost his memory, but he has not lost any of the dash and devilry that had always characterized him as the youngest Bedwyn brother. Although he needs to go off in search of his identity, he cannot resist embroiling himself in intrigue with Rachel first--especially when doing so seems ever so slightly sinful.

Slightly dangerous (Piatkus, 2004; ISBN 978-0-7499-3772-0)

All of London is abuzz over the imminent arrival of Wulfric Bedwyn, the reclusive, cold-as-ice Duke of Bewcastle, at the most glittering social event of the season. Some whisper of a tragic love affair. Others say he is so aloof and passionless that not even the greatest beauty could capture his attention.

But on this dazzling afternoon, one woman did catch the duke’s eye—and she was the only female in the room who wasn’t even trying. Christine Derrick is intrigued by the handsome duke…all the more so when he invites her to become his mistress.

What red-blooded woman wouldn’t enjoy a tumble in the bedsheets with a consummate lover—with no strings and no questions asked. An infuriating lady with very definite views on men, morals, and marriage, Christine confounds Wulfric at every turn. Yet even as the lone wolf of the Bedwyn clan vows to seduce her any way he can, something strange and wonderful is happening. Now for a man who thought he’d never lose his heart, nothing less than love will do.

With her trademark wit, riveting storytelling, and sizzling sexual sparks, Mary Balogh once again brings together two polar opposites: an irresistible, high-and-mighty aristocrat and the impulsive, pleasure-loving woman who shows him what true passion is all about. A man and a woman so wrong for each other, it can result only in the perfect match.

Hitoshi Iwaaki: Parasyte 3

Jostain syystä tartuin kolmanteenkin Hitoshi Iwaakin kauhusarjakuvakirjaan: Parasyte 3 (Ballantine Books, 2008; käännös englanniksi Andrew Cunningham; ISBN 978-0-345-49825-0).



Lukeminen tyssäsi tähän. Jotain outoa ideaakin näissä sarjakuvakirjoissa saattaa olla, mutta melkolailla tyhjänä nämä tarinat kolisevat.

Peter Milligan, Mikel Janin ja Ulises Arreola: Justice league dark, Volume 1 - In the dark

Peter Milligan on kirjoittaja, Mikel Janin piirtäjä ja Ulises Arreola värittäjä tässä sarjakuvakirjassa, joka kyllä oli outoudessaan vallan kamala: Justice league dark, Volume 1 - In the dark (DC Comics, 2012; ISBN 978-1-4012-3704-2).



Melkoisia päästöjä sarjakuvien teollinen tuotantokoneisto tunkee markkinoille. En ymmärrä miten tällaiselle päättömyydelle löytyy lukijoita.

Robyn DeHart: Undercover with the earl

Kirjaston palautettujen kirjojen hyllystä löytyy joskus aarteita, mutta myös kummallisuuksia kuten Robyn DeHartin historiallinen viihderomaani Undercover with the earl (Entangled, 2015; ISBN 978-1-9438-9205-1).



Sivuja kirjassa on 196, ja tähän sivumäärään kirjailija on onnistunut paketoimaan huiman määrän uskomattomia tapahtumia, ja vieläpä niin että tuntui ettei kirjailijalla ollut erityistä intoa edes yrittää pitää tarinan kulkua jossain määrin uskottavana, puhumattakaan siitä että ajankuva olisi realistinen. Melkolailla sataprosenttista höttöä tämä romaani.

Termillä "suspension of disbelief" tarkoitetaan sitä että romaanin lukija on valmis hyväksymään reaalimaailman kokemuksesta poikkeavat tarinan elementit tullakseen viihdytetyksi. Tämä kirja sai sitä vastoin aikaan "exhaustion of disbelief" -tunteen.

London, 1838 The handsome Earl of Somersby may just be the most eligible bachelor in London, but has no interest in a wife. As a member of the Brotherhood, Bennett Haile is far more vested in his undercover duties for the crown and protecting the Queen from would-be assassins. For now he has the perfect tool with which to lure out the villains-a young woman with an uncanny likeness to the queen.

The spirited Evelyn Marrington is about to live out every country girl's dream-becoming royalty overnight. Under the tutelage of the arrogant Earl of Somersby, she'll have to fool the entire court that she is, in fact, the queen. But as danger threatens from every side, Bennett realizes that his lovely little protege isn't just placing her life in his hands... She's stealing his heart.

Fred Vargas: Hyisiä aikoja

Fred Vargas kirjoittaa taitavasti, ja jälleen kerran hän punoo salapolisitarinan joka tuntuu aivan omanlaiseltaan, vailla vertailukohtaa: Hyisiä aikoja (Gummerus, 2016; suom. Marja Luoma; ISBN 978-951-24-0178-9).



Kovin monta näitä Adamsberg-dekkareita ei voi kerralla lukea, sen verran hämmentäviä ne ovat, ja jossain määrin toistavat saman kaltaista kaavaa, mutta toisaalta kerta kerran jälkeen olen tullut yllätetyksi, tarina on vienyt mukanaan niin että muu maailma katoaa kauas pois. Jotain samankaltaista on Nesserin Van Veeteren -dekkareissa, mutta nekään eivät aivan samanlaiseen tunnelmaan yllä, ikään kuin maailma nyrjähtäisi pois sijoiltaan ja osoittautuisi vallan oudoksi paikaksi elää ja olla.

Fred Vargasin rakastettu Adamsberg-sarja kertoo pariisilaisesta murharyhmästä, jossa työskentelee joukko persoonallisia poliiseja. Murharyhmän sielu on karismaattinen komisario Adamsberg, jonka ajattelu on silkkaa tajunnanvirtaa. Hänen oikea kätensä on valkoviinille perso, kävelevä tietosanakirja Danglard ja vasen kätensä amatsonimainen Retancourt, joka tyrmää tarvittaessa isonkin miehen. Kaikki suojelevat toistensa pikku erikoisuuksia ja ratkaisevat Adamsbergin aina oikeaan osuvia harhailuja myötäillen murhan kuin murhan. Ja matkan varrella lukija nauttii.

Hyisiä aikoja vie lukijan 10 vuoden takaisiin, selittämättömiin tapahtumiin Islannissa ja Robespierre-fanaatikkojen salaseuraan Pariisissa. Kyseessä on itsemurhiksi lavastettujen murhatapausten sarja, jonka Adamsbergin tiimi saa tutkittavakseen. Pohjolan jäätiköiden hurjuus ja Ranskan vallankumouksen kauaskantoiset seuraukset hämärtävät murhavyyhtiä, jonka ratkaisun voi selvittää vain Adamsberg, joka ajattelee aivan toisin kuin kukaan muu.