Appearance
Pattern of Blood
Libertus the Pavement Maker returns in the second of Rosemary Rowe's novels on Roman Britain set in the second century AD.Libertus is a witness to a stabbing on the streets of Corinium (modern day Cirencester). Luckily for the victim a physician is hand and a tragedy is averted. However Libertus is commanded by his wealthy patron Marcus Septimus to investigate the attack. This is no where near the end of the matter and Libertus soon becomes embroiled in another case of murder and intrigue. These books are well researched and the storytelling is excellent. I commend them to you.
In Quest of Universe
This is an excellent astronomy text for non-science majors and a fabulous reference for amateur astronomers as well. Concepts and mathematical formulae are clearly explained, by use of color graphics that both catch the eye and get the point across. A number of "practice" exercises are included that allow the reader to apply concepts to both easy, and difficult, problems. The web site correlates beautifully to the text, and allows the reader to take advantage of additional exercises and simulations. Dr. Kuhn has produced a book that is both informative and visually pleasing. I sure wish I'd had this text when I was studying astronomy as a non-science major in college!
Uncle Silas
Joseph Sheridan (J. S.) LeFanu, despite fame in Victorian times, has mostly fallen off the radar of modern readers. His superlative "Uncle Silas" is clear evidence as to why anyone who loves a good yarn will be immediately drawn in by his considerable gifts. This novel has a well-modulated dark atmosphere, clearly drawn and fully human characters and a superb plot.The titular Silas is the uncle of our heroine Maud Ruthyn, who becomes the ward of her mysterious uncle upon her father's death. Silas has an unsavory reputation, having once been accused of murdering a man to whom he owed a gambling debt, but he has, by the time Maud first meets him, apparently repented and found religion. She goes to his home willingly, quickly befriends his saucy daughter Milly and is, for the most part, happy in her new surroundings. The plot thickens from there, and without giving away important details, the reader should know that LeFanu lets loose with a ripping good story that ends most satisfactorily and with some wonderful twists.LeFanu is a skilled writer at the apex of his powers and an astute observer of the human condition. Some of the more telling lines exhibiting his gifts include:" . . . that lady has a certain spirit of opposition within her, and to disclose a small wish of any sort was generally, if it lay in her power, to prevent its accomplishment.""Already I was sorry to lose him. So soon we begin to make a property of what pleases us.""People grow to be friends by liking, Madame, and liking comes of itself, not by bargain.""She had received a note from Papa. He had had the impudence to forgive HER for HIS impertinence.""In very early youth, we do not appreciate the restraints which act upon malignity, or know how effectually fear protects us where conscience is wanting.""One of the terrible dislocations of our habits of mind respecting the dead is that our earthly future is robbed of them, and we thrown exclusively upon retrospect."" 'The world,' he resumed after a short pause, 'has no faith in any man's conversion; it never forgets what he was, it never believes him anything better, it is an inexorable and stupid judge.' "" . . . I had felt, in the whirl and horror of my mind, on the very point of submitting, just as nervous people are said to throw themselves over precipices through sheer dread of falling."Admirers of Wilkie Collins, Thomas Hardy and, to a lesser degree, of Charles Dickens will find much to please them in the classic "Uncle Silas."
Uncle Silas
This is a real rip-snorter of a gothic novel. Eighteen-year-old Maude, whose mother is dead, has been raised by her wealthy father, an adherent to a peculiar Scandinavian science religion. There are dark rumors afoot about the character of Maude's father's brother, the mysterious Uncle Silas, into whose guardianship Maude is entrusted at her father's death. Maude is the only thing standing between the money she will inherit from her father (when she comes of age) and Silas' considerable debt. Laudanum addiction, poison, big old houses with uninhabited wings, a creepy cousin (Silas' son), and an evil French governess: if you like gothic novels, this one's got it all.
Uncle Silas
"Uncle Silas" has all the ingredients of a great gothic novel: creepy atmosphere, slowly building tension, a sympathetic heroine, and villains you really hate. Don't trust the blurb on the back cover of the Penguin edition, however; it talks about spirits, perception vs. reality, and the like. This is NOT a ghost story. The evil depicted is all too human, which accounts for the story's disturbing effect. A great read.
Uncle Silas
"Uncle Silas" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is consideredone of the great Gothic novels. It is a long, longnovel of suspense- and since it is so long, it must bea record holder for sustained dread. Chapter afterchapter, you worry about poor little Maud, thebeleaguered heroine.Actually, I doubt you do. Maud isn't verycomprehensible to the modern reader. She is thedaughter of a rich estate-owner, and she will inheriteverything upon his death. The problem is that herfather frets over his ne'er-do-well younger brotherSilas. He wants to pay off Silas's debts and reformhim, but being woolenly virtuous himself, the plan hecomes up to do it is impractical and may utterlydestroy poor Maud.Not that you really care about Maud. As a Victorianheroine, she stands up to her enemies using her powerof very-good-etiquette, and hopes that her stoicpassivity will stir the heart of some passingnobleman. The most she will do in her own behalf isstamp her foot. It's hard to sympathise with a weepyfoot-stamper, particularly when imagining what anymodern heroine would do in her place: write a letterto her lawyer, call in reporters, plan an escape, orbeat the living crap out of old Silas.It doesn't matter. In early Gothic novels, you wereexpected to care about the heroes and heroines, but asthe genre evolved, the emphasis shifted to thevillains. And "Uncle Silas" has mesmerizing villains.There's the grotesque Frenchwoman Madame deRougierre, who is at turns pathetic and terrifying.There's Silas's son, who could have been a younggentleman if he hadn't been raised in bitter povertyby his father. And finally, there's Uncle Silas: youdon't know what to think of this old opium-addictedruin. Is he a victim of other people's cruelprejudice? Is he a man who got off to a poor startand was never allowed to make it up? Will Maud be ableto rehabilitate him?You can find out by reading the book.