Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Oh well, on to the next oldest. The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon also bought from Kobo in 2012. At 656 pages this one will take me a while. I really enjoyed the first in the series Speaks the Nightbird. Early 18th century murder mystery.

Even though this took a while to get going I enjoyed it very much. The plot was very well developed and the conclusion was very good. The author did use a form of "confession" to reveal the finer details of events - a plot method I don't particularly enjoy. He also used more modern English. Early 18th century America didn't say "hello." And the concept of infections was not as portrayed. I do prefer his previous book Speaks the Nightbird. Rated B [4 stars].

Next is Ratcatcher by James McGee another historical mystery this one set in Regency London.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Early 18th century America didn't say "hello."

This is one of my pet hates in historical fiction. It takes only moments to discover that the first recorded usage of the word "Hello" occurred in 1883. To me, such anachronisms indicate a lack of care on the part of the author.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by HarryT

This is one of my pet hates in historical fiction. It takes only moments to discover that the first recorded usage of the word "Hello" occurred in 1883. To me, such anachronisms indicate a lack of care on the part of the author.

It seems that the first known written use is now 1833

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It seems that the first known written use is now 1833

Interesting, thanks. (But still 100 years later than the setting for the previous poster's book.)

[MickeyC]

I've always understood the word 'hello' was originally an expression of shock. And when the telephone was invented and first installed in homes, people would, at the sound of the ring, blurt out 'hello' in shock. But, as we got used to phones, it came to be a greeting rather than a way of expressing shock or surprise.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by MickeyC

I've always understood the word 'hello' was originally an expression of shock. And when the telephone was invented and first installed in homes, people would, at the sound of the ring, blurt out 'hello' in shock. But, as we got used to phones, it came to be a greeting rather than a way of expressing shock or surprise.

You're right about it being related to the invention of the telephone, but it's nothing to do with shock or surprise. All the previous greetings that were in common use prior to the telephone were dependent upon social class - you would address someone differently according to whether they were of inferior, equal, or superior social class to you. "Hello" was settled on as a "class neutral" greeting for use on the telephone, because, of course, for the first time you couldn't actually see the person you were talking to. The first telephone operators were colloquially known as "hello girls", because they said "hello" to you.

[bfisher]

Currently reading "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb. I started reading this due to the recommendations posted in this thread. 100 pages in and it is excellent.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Now for the latest issue of Analog SFF - the July/August double issue.

A good collection of stories. An enjoyable issue, with some continuing stories.

That was my 100th book for 2014!

Next: Asimov's SF, July 2014.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It seems that the first known written use is now 1833

An aside: Have you read Sketches and eccentricities of Col. David Crockett, of West Tennessee? It looks like it may be interesting, assuming it's the same Davy Crockett who was frontiersman and politician.

[WT Sharpe]

I just finished Cocaine Blues, the first Phryne Fisher novel, and enjoyed it immensely, although I couldn't help as I read it but think that Phryne Fisher was a bit of a male fantasy of what a tough, smart, and independent woman should be. I loved her, but thought that her reactions and outlook would have been considerable different had a woman wrote the series. Then I guess a similar thing could be said of Hercule Poirot and other protagonists whose gender differed from that of their creator. I've always marveled at writers who could write lines for characters whose experience of life they could never experience from within.

[CRussel]

Just for your information, Kerry Greenwood is very much a woman.

The series just gets better and better, BTW. And if you get a chance, by all means watch the TV series.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yeah, as I read further into it, I definitely got the feeling that Eric was writing it. Well, I'm going to jump on the next in the series, In the Heart of Darkness and see how it goes.

Finished. Still enjoying it, though I'm going to take a break from the series for a bit.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Just for your information, Kerry Greenwood is very much a woman.

The series just gets better and better, BTW. And if you get a chance, by all means watch the TV series.

Opps!

Well, I guess that comment tells more about me than about the author!

[WT Sharpe]

Having read a couple of good mysteries, I'm now reading Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography by John Dominic Crossan. This is a work for popular audiences which is based on his earlier, The Historical Jesus (1992), which was aimed more at scholars.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Interesting, thanks. (But still 100 years later than the setting for the previous poster's book.)

Correct. The book's setting was New York City in 1703. I'm not sure how people greeted each other back then but it was probably similar to an English one.