Book 39: The Far Side of the World (O'Brian)

Another Aubrey/Maturin novel. There's more inter-personal intrigue in this one. And more humour. But there's very little overlap with the plot of the movie with the same name: they're chasing another ship in the Pacific and the cook makes a dessert in the shape of the Galapagos islands, but that's it!

Book 38: The Ruby in the Smoke (Pullman)

Decent Victorian England thriller. Not as good as Pullman's "Golden Compass" series.

Book 37: The Secret Mitzvah of Lucio Burke (Hayward)

I read this book because I went to school with the author. It's good: occasionally funny, quite a bit of Toronto history and one RHHS reference (Mr. Booth the biology teacher). There are some loose ends, so maybe I need to read it again.

Book 36: The Violent Bear It Away (O'Connor)

Is the idiot love Rayber resists the same thing as Old Tarwater's faith and prophecy? I don't think so: Old Tarwater's full of fear and hate. This book's conflict isn't good against evil: it's a battle between two confusions. Picking a side in that fight is pointless.

Good writing, though, and very intense.

Book 35: Desolation Island (O'Brian)

More Aubrey/Maturin. O'Brian's books don't have denouments. As soon as the last plot point's wrapped up, the book ends. Interesting, but disorienting. Anyway, this one's good too. The sea battles are very exciting.