15 Days Book Blogging Challenge - Five of My Best Posts

If you've been following my blog for the past few days, you know by now that I'm participating in the 15 Days Book Blogging Challenge hosted at Good Books and Good Wine. My introductory post for the challenge is here, and I've been having fun writing up these posts, though I've decided to write them all up ahead of time to post each day. Quite the departure from normal for me. I'm generally more of a "write and post right away" type blogger.

How do you objectively chose five posts to spotlight? The five that are the tops in your stats? Your favorite books? Randomly? Today's post has been giving me a lot of trouble. I just don't know how to pick my best posts. I'm going to give it a try though by going with a mix of the above methods.

1. The Adept by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris. January 16, 2012. I call it historical fantasy, Katherine Kurtz has used the term "crypto-history" on her website IIRC. Either way, this is the first book in one of my favorite series.
2. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. January 27, 2009. A book I've been re-reading regularly for more than a decade now. Some call it a teen novel, some say it's regular fantasy. I just call it a very good read.
3. Worlds of Medieval Europe by Clifford R. Backman. April 22, 2009. As I noted in my review, this was one of those rare textbooks that left me snickering as I reviewed for the final exam. It's also one that's still in my collection today.
4. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. April 21, 2011. For a short book, this is one incredibly vivid and well written story. One of my favorites too. Also, this is a book that more than a dozen people recommended to me.
5. The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. June 24, 2009. One of those "all ages" books that's good for early teens on up. Again, the first book in the series, and one I quite enjoyed reading. I do have to point out that this is going to be a fairly quick read, as are the sequels.

The Adept - Katherine Kurtz & Deborah Turner Harris

The Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1991
0441003435

The blurb on the back of the book:

More than a doctor,
more than a detective...

He is Sir Adam Sinclair: nobleman, physician, scholar - and Adept. A man of learning and power, he practices ancient arts unknown to the twentieth century.

He has had many names, lived many lives, but his mission remains the same: to protect the Light from those who would tread the Dark Roads.

Now his beloved Scotland is defiled by an unholy cult of black magicians who will commit any atrocity to achieve their evil ends- even raise the dead!

Only one man can stand against them...
The Adept

This is the first book in the series: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights are linked to this series as well. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

The Adept is one of those books/series which can be hard to describe, but which is (to the right reader) quite captivating. There's a term on the Katherine Kurtz website which might fit - "Crypto-history". I tend towards using the term "historical fantasy", but that doesn't quite fit for these books as they're set in contemporary times. But, if you like historical fantasy, these are still worth a try - they're littered with historical references and themes. That might be the author's MA in Medieval Studies showing through, as the most common period is the medieval era - Templar references, Scottish history and folklore and the like. There's enough of them that you're not likely to catch them all on the first read.

For example, during this past read, I picked up on a new one. There's an offhand reference to one Matthew Paris, a monk and chronicler. I never thought too much about that every other time I read the book, but this time, I'm also working my way through a biography of King Edward Longshanks, and the same figure is fairly prominent there.

Not to mention all of the Latin phrases and snippets. Trying to translate those can be rather entertaining too, though not a requirement to enjoy the book. I find that all of those add a whole extra layer to the reading experience.

An experience which is built on vivid descriptions, interesting characters and a very intriguing world concept. I said last time I reviewed The Adept, that I wish I knew of more books like this series. I've found something somewhat similar since: the books by Jo Graham (Hand of Isis and Black Ships primarily). Even so, I'd like to find more. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to see them.

Honestly, The Adept is the first book in a series that I've read before several times and I know that I'm going to be reading it again many more times.

Death of an Adept - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Death Of An Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 1996
0441003044

According to the back of the book:

Mystic and historian, Sir Adam Sinclair is Master of the Hunt, leader of a secret brotherhood at war with the dark and unholy Powers that menace our world. In his time he has challenged the forces of evil and been victorious. Now evil is rising once again - an extraordinary evil born of ancient elemental magic and twentieth-century ambition.

And Adam Sinclair will face the most unthinkable crime against his kind: murder.

In this, the final book in the Adept series everything seems to come full circle, back to the events of the first book, with attempts by the Lodge of the Lynx, a cast of familiar villains who've been popping up through most of the other books to summon the aid of Taranis in order to take up their self-appointed task once again. At the same time, Adam's relationship with Ximena, absent except in a few references from the previous two books is taken to a new level as they prepare for marriage.

Death of An Adept is the final book in the series. The first books are: The Adept, The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure and Dagger Magic. Also in the same world are short stories in two anthologies edited by Katherine Kurtz, Lammas Night and, set during the Middle Ages, The Temple and the Stone, and The Temple and the Crown.

It had been long enough since the last time I read Death of an Adept that I'd forgotten a lot of the details, such as the fact that John Graham from Lammas Night has a part in this book as well. I'd thought it was just the third book in the Adept series that he came in (as well as one of the short stories), so that made it almost like reading the book for the first time. Always a neat thing to have happen.

Although this book winds up the series (and does so in a very dramatic fashion) the authors left a possible hint for more books. I just wish they'd followed through with other books. Perhaps though, this is a good end. After all, Adam is set to be married, Peregrine is married, and they'd have to find a new villain to write. More books might be a let down, although I think I'd gladly read them.

Overall, I really like this series, although there are one or two little things that niggled on this read through, namely that nearly everyone, when introduced to the supernatural and the psychic believed immediately. There seemed to be no skepticism on the part of any characters.

In all of the books in the series, any of the books from Adam's library which is used in the story, it is likely a real book: I know that Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Temple and the Lodge, both by Baigent and Leigh are real books (they're both in my library, thanks to Kurtz). It's a neat little touch.

One thing I wish when I'm reading this series is that I could wander through Adam's library and see what else he's got on those shelves. It would be interesting to say the least.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes urban fantasy.

Dagger Magic - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Dagger Magic
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 1995
0441003044

According to the back of the book:

An ancient order reawakens. A modern evil returns...

Deep within a sea cave, sacred texts of the black arts have been recovered from the corroded hulk of a World War II German submarine. Within these pages lies the power to spwan a new, demonic Third Reich - and make Aryan world conquest a terrifying reality. Now they rest in the hands of the Phurba, a vile Dagger Cult older than Christianity itself.

Only Adam Sincalir can prevent the deadly blades of the Phurba from piercing the heart of humanity. Only he can quell the darkness that lives in

Dagger Magic

As usual with the Adept series, the back of the book is rather over dramatic. Especially so for this book.

Dagger Magic is the fourth book in the series. The other books are The Adept, The Adept: The Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure and Death of the Adept. There's also Lammas Night, short stories in two anthologies, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown set in the same world.

The authors did something new for this series with this book: they split the storyline. The book starts with the event that will set off the mystery, the death of two Irish Fisheries officers, then moves to Peregrine's wedding reception where things start to be set up for the rest of the story. There's the main line which starts with Peregrine and Julia on their honeymoon. That one starts with the two of them discovering a dead body washed up on the beach. However, there are some hints that come earlier of another plotline where there are a mysterious series of accidents happening along a particular road. I don't want to go into detail lest I spoil the book though. Either way, the two combine to make a book that's twice the size of any of the previous three volumes in the series.

As I said with the previous books in the series, I think it would be neat to have visited Scotland, as the author has thrown in little details that would make it easier to see the places described if I'd already seen them. It's something I've noticed when I've read books that show places I've been, there's just that little extra bit of enjoyment there when something you've seen is well described.

The cover of this book, I found when I was reading it this time can be rather off-putting to anyone around you. It stars a rather gruesome dagger and the Nazi swastika on a vivid red background. I found passers by asking what I was reading, mostly I think, through disapproval of the cover being in a public place. Funnily enough, it's never bothered me. Neither has the cover of Lammas Night, which is similar in layout and subject.

I wish I knew of books with a similar style to this series as I keep reading and re-reading it, enjoying it more each time.

The Templar Treasure - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Edited January 20th to add links to the other books in the series.
Edited August 21, 2011 to add the cover image.

The Templar Treasure
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1993
0441003451

According to the back of the book:

A Secret Brotherhood. An Ancient Evil...

Mystic and historian, Sir Adam Sinclair is Master of the Hunt, leader of a secret brotherhood at war with the dark and unholy Powers that menace our world.

Now an urgent summons sets the Adept on a life or death search for the Seal of Solomon, an ancient bronze artifact that can bind - or unleash - the demons of old. Guarded for centuries by the legendary Knights Templar, the Seal has been stolen by ruthless and dangerous forces.

If humanity is to survive, Sinclair mus complete the quest for...

The Templar Treasure

This is the third book in the series. The other books are The Adept, The Adept: The Lodge of the Lynx, Dagger Magic and Death of an Adept. Also set in the same world are Lammas Night, The Temple and the Stone, and The Temple and the Crown.

The authors have filled this book with lots of little details that fill out the locations and scenes. I just wish I was more familiar with the settings. I think someone from Scotland or England who's visited Scotland before might have an even greater appreciation for the settings of the books. I know I do when I read books set in places I know or have been to.

The Templar Treasure is set about nine months after the end of The Lodge of the Lynx, and clearly things have happened since then, although everyone is still alright. Some of the things are setting up the next two books, like the relationship between Peregrine Lovat and Julia Barrett, introduced in the first book. Also the one between Ximenia and Adam.

The villains are all new as well, although just as interesting as the ones in the first two books. I can't help having some sympathy for Henri Gerard as well, despite all of the evil he ends up setting off.

Unlike the previous two books, the authors leave some of the side situations unanswered, and they don't come back to them in later books. I'd love to know what it was that Adam and the others found at Fyvie Castle in that hidden room. On the other hand, perhaps it's best not to know, even though the books are fiction.

This is the book which introduced the character of John Graham to me, although there is nothing said in The Templar Treasure to suggest that he has his own book, Lammas Night. That information came from one of the two stories set in this world in the three Templar anthologies Kurtz has edited.

Although I've seen some reviews criticizing writing in these books, to me they are 'old friends' that I can keep coming back to and enjoying over the years.

The Adept: The Lodge of the Lynx - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Edited on January 20th to add links to the other books in the series.
Edited on August 21, 2011 to add the cover image and some formatting.

The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1992
0441003443

The blurb on the back of the book:

He is eternal
So are his foes...

Through countless lives and eras, the Adept has fought against the powers of Darkness. Now, as psychiatrist Adam Sinclair, he leads his loyal Huntsmen against supernatural evil in all its myriad forms.

But the Darkness is striking back - In the guise of an unholy cult long thought to be extinct. Endowed with the elemental energy of an ancient Druidic artifact, the Lodge of the Lynx stands ready to unleash destruction on Sinclair, his allies and, ultimately, all of Scotland.

The old battle begins anew - and this time the future may belong to The Lodge of the Lynx.

This is the second book in the series, which is comprised of: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure (I'm now rereading this one), Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights that are linked to this series as well, although somewhat tentatively if I'm remembering right. Its been a while since I've read those two books. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

The Lodge of the Lynx follows up on The Adept, starting almost immediately after that book left off. Given the start of this book, I'd say it isn't more than a couple of weeks after the end of the previous book. The two books could almost be seen as one book in two parts. This was the first book from the series that I read originally, and I did find things a bit confusing at first then, as the character introductions all occurred in The Adept. Now though, having read the books several times in order, I consider them to be 'old friends'.

All of the loose ends from The Adept are wound up in this book: Gillian Talbot/Michael Scot being the main one, and a whole host of new characters are introduced. Some of them, such as the villains will turn up in later books in the series. In fact, some of the events in this book are setting the stage for the fifth book in the series, Death of an Adept.

To give you an idea of how much I've enjoyed this book, my copy is starting to look as though it came from a public library: a couple of the pages are torn, the spine is getting faded and the corners and edges are all battered.

As with Lammas Night, this is an older series, marked by Indigo Books as 'sold out', and your best bet for finding the books is a used book store.

I wish I knew of more books like these. The closest I can think of are Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde books.

The Adept - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Edited on January 20th to add the links to other books in this series.
Edited again on August 21, 2011 to add the cover image.

The Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1991
0441003435

The blurb on the back of the book:

More than a doctor,
more than a detective...

He is Sir Adam Sinclair: nobleman, physician, scholar - and Adept. A man of learning and power, he practices ancient arts unknown to the twentieth century.

He has had many names, lived many lives, but his mission remains the same: to protect the Light from those who would tread the Dark Roads.

Now his beloved Scotland is defiled by an unholy cult of black magicians who will commit any atrocity to achieve their evil ends- even raise the dead!

Only one man can stand against them...
The Adept

This is the first book in the series: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx (my current read), The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights are linked to this series as well. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

As the first book in the series, The Adept sets up the major characters very well, but it also stands as a full book on it's own, although it doesn't exactly wrap everything up, leaving plenty for the next book.

As with Lammas Night, this is an older series, and your best bet for finding the books is a used book store.

There's plenty of action as well, making this an exciting book. Even though I've read it several times, I generally have trouble putting the book down at night. It's always 'just one more page and I'll put the book away'. Then I realize it's already the next day and the book is finished.

Kurtz and Harris use foreshadowing and hinting very well in all of the books to build the tension, and the events, taken in sequence, even with the magical included are very believable, building one on the next.

I wish I knew of more books like these. The closest I can think of are Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde books.