LightNews LightNews
azreader.bsky.social
@azreader.bsky.social
900 followers 1.9K following 410 posts
I’m a reader and a writer, a fan of fantasy (Kay, McClellan, McKiernan), historical mystery (Barron, C.S. Harris, Sherry Thomas, Darcie Wilde), and 19th century writers like Austen, Dumas, Scott, and Ainsworth.

I also love indie rock and baroque music.
Posts Replies Media Videos
azreader.bsky.social
Lutheran thrift store finds. Mostly mysteries. $5.50 for the stack. 😄
December 9, 2025 at 6:48 PM
azreader.bsky.social
My first book by this author. I liked it. It reads like Dumas or Scott, which is what I'm always on the hunt for.

Interesting moral dilemmas in this historical romance/action novel. Some of it I'm still chewing on.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Recommended. 🙂
A photograph of a scruffy hardback copy of the novel "Count Hannibal," done all in blue. There is a silhouette of a castle done in black on the cover, partly obscured by the heads of soldiers and their raised halberds, done in blue.
December 9, 2025 at 1:20 AM
azreader.bsky.social
I like these "Further adventures of Sherlock" books, and this is a pretty good one. 4 stars.

A kidnapping, a missing Egyptian scroll, a rich young jerk who wants to live forever... lots of fun elements.

My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Recommended for Sherlock people.
The cover of the novel "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Scroll of the Dead." It has the silhouette of Sherlock across a map, with an image of a pyramid and Sphinx-like statue in an inset in the corner.
December 7, 2025 at 9:29 PM
azreader.bsky.social
I'm liking this series and this author. 4.5 stars.

My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Good stuff. Fun to read. Good mystery and setting and main characters. Recommended.👍
The cover of "A Play of Dux Maraud," showing medieval performers in the foreground with 15th century homes in the back.
December 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Today’s reading order, including a small chunk of each book here. Excited to start The Tainted Cup—but it’s all good stuff, all the way down. And sunny in Arizona for the reading. 😎

Have you read any of these?
Stack of books in the sun: the Tainted cup by Robert Jackson Bennett; Liberation by Ian Tregillis; Count Hannibal by Stanley Weyman; Sherlock Holmes and the Scroll of the Dead by David Stuart Davies; Play of Dux Moraud by Margaret Frazer; Her Majesty’s Coven by Juno Dawson; and Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay.
November 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Warned off this decades ago by one of my teachers, I finally read it anyway and really liked it. Not the miserable stuff, but maybe the Charles Bronson-like revenge part...

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
The cover of the Arden edition of "Titus Andronicus," showing a man's face emerging from fiery images of violent actions.
November 24, 2025 at 9:10 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Enough of this poetry was new to me to make it well worth picking up, but the introduction and other chapter helps by the editor make this an invaluable source for those of us still educating ourselves on Chinese poetry.

5 stars.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Recommended. 👍
The cover of "the Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry," with an image of a wagon (or chariot?) holding two men drawn by a pair of horses, all on a black background.
November 21, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Reposted
neorsd.org
just learned we won an award for our blog post about Tom Holland and stormwater management.

remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
What Tom Holland’s historic lip-sync showcase taught us about stormwater management
Grab your umbrella and your tights.
neorsd.medium.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:22 AM
azreader.bsky.social
An interesting and entertaining book. 4 stars.

It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Cautiously recommended.
The cover of "The Book of Splendor," showing a street in 17th century Prague.
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
azreader.bsky.social
The first in the Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries. I liked it. 4 stars.

My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

It's the second book I've read by this author--both the first in the series they're part of--so now I've got quite a list of older books to go find. Nice problem. 😄
The cover of "The Novice's Tale," by Margaret Frazer, showing a spilled chalice through an open stained glass window of a church.
November 16, 2025 at 10:42 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Nice day in Phoenix. 70s and shady—thinking about rain later. And I’ve got some great books to read out on the porch. This season is why we brave the hot summers. 😎
My Arizona backyard under cloudy skies, with “The Book of Splendor,” by Frances Sherwood, and “Children of Earth and Sky,” by Guy Gavriel Kay, at the bottom of the image.
November 15, 2025 at 8:56 PM
azreader.bsky.social
I found this sometimes frustrating, often amazing. Overall, it's engaging and informative. 4 stars.

My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com

This author was unknown to me, and the novel comes from an era I have mostly overlooked. But I'm glad I chanced on this 1937 book. Worth a look.👍
The cover of "The Stranger Prince," by Margaret Irwin, showing a family crest with two lions.
November 8, 2025 at 7:57 PM
azreader.bsky.social
For me, a 3-star read. Wild ideas patched together in an entertaining but not very believable way, stretched between bull-session exposition, enacted by characters I never differentiated in my mind.

My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

It at least kept me reading.
The cover of the thriller "Decipher," by Stel Pavlou. It shows some kind of rune against a blue water background.
November 6, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Reposted
fantasycafe.bsky.social
New guest post and book giveaway! "Writing as Witchcraft" by @theodoragoss.bsky.social with a chance to win a copy of her short story collection LETTERS FROM AN IMAGINARY COUNTRY, coming out next week!

#Books #BookSky 📚💙 #Fantasy #SciFi #SpecFic 📚🪐

www.fantasybookcafe.com/2025/11/theo...
Theodora Goss Guest Post and Book Giveaway | Fantasy Cafe
Guest post on writing as witchcraft by speculative fiction author Thedora Goss with a book giveaway of her collection LETTERS FROM AN IMAGINARY COUNTRY.
www.fantasybookcafe.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:25 PM
azreader.bsky.social
My first book by Margaret Frazer. I liked it very much. 5 stars

My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Good mystery, good setting, fun characters--I'm looking forward to finding the other titles in this series.

Recommended.
The cover of the historical Mystery, "A Play of Isaac," showing a church and graveyard at the top and a theater troupe at the bottom.
November 4, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Reposted
rebeccaroanhorse.bsky.social
New Fonda Lee did not disappoint! Who knew that a corporate samurai space opera on a terraforming world was exactly what I needed. Out Spring 2026 but you can preorder now (or add to your tbr.) Your future self will thank you!
A fill in cover for THE LAST CONTRACT OF ISAKO by Fonda Lee.
November 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Today’s starter list. Anyone read some of these Margaret Frazer books? This is my first one, almost finished, and I’m digging it. 👍 The one about Rabbi Lowe’s golem is really cool, too—“the Book of Splendor.” Lucky find at the library book store.
November 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Reading out side my usual genres--and enjoying it. Very entertaining. 4 stars.

My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Being unfamiliar with the author, I'm amazed at the number of books she's written. Wow. Clearly I should have known the name. 😂

Good Regency novel. Recommended.
The cover of Mary Balogh's novel, "Remember When," showing a middle aged man and woman in Regency clothing beneath a tree, face to face.
October 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
azreader.bsky.social
Today’s reading order—a little of each. We’ll see how far I get through the lineup. The older I get, the shorter my attention span… 😄 But I never have reading slumps anymore. I just change the batting order. 😎
A stack of books—historical, historical mystery, ~literary historical, thriller, steampunk, romance, non-fiction science, pulp.
October 27, 2025 at 6:33 PM
azreader.bsky.social
I'm a big novelization fan--Willow, Star Wars, Galaxy Quest--and I was glad to see the first season of Wednesday got adapted. And it's awesome. Excellent writing, great 1st person narration, well worth reading on its own.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

Funny, dark, clever, 5 ⭐. 👍
The cover of the novelization of the Wednesday TV show, season one, showing Wednesday, arm's crossed, in front of the stained glass window in her dorm room.
October 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Reposted
fantasycafe.bsky.social
Book giveaway! Enter to win a copy of THE ESSENTIAL PATRICIA A. MCKILLIP, which contains "The Gorgon in the Cupboard," one of my favorite short stories ever, and more. (US only.)

#Books #BookSky 📚💙 #Fantasy #SpecFic 📚🪐

www.fantasybookcafe.com/2025/10/give...
Giveaway: The Essential Patricia A. McKillip | Fantasy Cafe
Giveaway of fantasy/speculative fiction collection THE ESSENTIAL PATRICIA A. MCKILLIP, which also contains 2 nonfiction pieces and an introduction by SWORDSPOINT author Ellen Kushner.
www.fantasybookcafe.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:18 PM
azreader.bsky.social
I'm out of the mainstream. Other readers kinda hated this, but I though it was pretty fun. Three scammers in 17th century England tricking people out of their money? It's clever and witty and has a happy ending.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

4 stars from me.
The cover of Ben Jonson's "The Alchemist," showing a drawing of a man talking to an alchemist who is reading a book.
October 17, 2025 at 8:40 PM
azreader.bsky.social
This is the 9th book in the series (I think) and takes place in London when Jane is staying with her banking brother and his French wife. There's a bit more scandal in this one than most, which is, you know, good.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

These are all great. 5 stars.
The cover of the novel "Jane and the Barque of Frailty" by Stephanie Barron. It shows a woman in white laying on the cobblestones, her throat slashed, letters and other clues all around her.
October 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
azreader.bsky.social
This is a very engaging and thought-provoking novel, the fictional version of Christopher Marlowe and his spy work. Very well written. Excellent action novel, but with beautiful prose.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com

5 stars.
The cover of the novel "A Tip for the Hangman," showing some Elizabethan-looking men at court beneath an inset showing Queen Elizabeth, with images of death behind that.
October 14, 2025 at 6:06 PM
azreader.bsky.social
I gave this 3 stars--that's about how fun I felt it was. But you're probably gonna read it for some other purpose. Curiosity, maybe? Or for a lit course? Maybe because you're snowed in at a B&B and it's on the shelf? Anyway, it's *kinda* cool.

My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
The cover of the Penguin edition of the Voyage of the Argo, by Apollonius of Rhodes
October 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM