pick(1954) Third and last in Norton's series of thrillers featuring Dutch gem merchant Lorens van Norreys, though in this one Norreys has only a small part. Instead, we follow Quinn Anders, a reserved historian whose brother is killed while searching for a treasure that went missing in WWII. Anders picks up where his brother left off, and adventure ensues. It's great fun, and reminds me of Eric Ambler's everyman-in-over-his-head thrillers.
pick(1949) Second in a series of WWII-era adventures featuring Dutch gem merchant Lorens van Norreys. After the war has ended, two American agents are charged with locating MIA servicemen who may be stranded in the islands of Indonesia. There they meet van Norreys, explore the islands, face intrigue and peril, and find missing servicemen from both sides of the war. It's a satisfying adventure in an unusual theater. Looking forward to the final book
so-so(1944) It's a juvenile WWII thriller, written during the war, after Pearl Harbor but before D-Day. It follows the adventures of Lorens van Norrys, heir to a Dutch jewel merchant's fortune, who flees the Netherlands when Nazis invade, then hops around the world while he works out his place in the war effort. It's an early work, with uneven pacing and a mild case of Mary Sue, but it kept me engaged and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
pickA dystopian post apocalyptic novel that brought to mind elements of the 80s movie Blade Runner but a better, and more interesting and hopeful story.
It's the story of an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz, who begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the planet. Highly recommend
pickDon't know how many times I've read Coraline. Great cover on this edition, Chris's Riddell is the best.
"I know who the real hero is... It's an old man with a white beard and a walking stick and a heart so big it won't let him stop thinking he can change the world by writing down things in a book no one will ever read."
