A. J. HartleyCritiques

In a future dystopian society, a group of teenagers who are guilty of some kind of deviant behavior (or behavior that is deemed deviant by society) are sent in a spaceship to another planet of their solar system for reeducation. We really have to suspend disbelief there, because it's absurd that to make them attend a few lectures and watch videos about good citizenship for a few weeks they'd sent them on an interplanetary voyage instead of reeducating them on their own planet.

In any case something goes wrong. The automated spaceship goes to a different, farther-away planet and crashes there. While they wait for rescue that may or may not come, the teenagers, utterly unprepared for the task, have to survive in a hostile environment and deal with some mysteries and strange events.

The book is very readable and entertaining. I liked the first person narration and the dynamics between the characters. It works well as a fast-paced thriller and as a tense mystery. I felt there were some missed opportunities to make the SF elements more interesting, but in any case it was a quite enjoyable read. It offers enough closure to stand on its own, but the door is open for sequels if the author chooses to write them.

(2006)Tried this book after review on The Eclectic Review. Deborah Miller, an assistant curator at an Atlanta museum stumbles on what appears to be the hunt for a Mask of Atreus and the body of Agamemnon of the ancient Greeks. Turns into a deadly hunt for Adolf Hitler's body and a neo-Nazi who is going to use it to bring back the Third Reich in some form. Pretty good mystery.(PW)Rich with historical and archeological detail, this well-constructed debut from Hartley celebrates the power of legend while delivering an engrossing mystery that skips nimbly between continents and cultures. At the heart of the story is Atlanta museum curator Deborah Miller, who's returning home after a successful exhibit when she receives a cryptic call telling her she needs to go back to the museum. Deborah does so only to find her friend, museum owner Richard Dixon, lying dead amid a cache of possibly priceless artifacts. Why was Richard hiding them? And, most importantly, what item from the stash was worth killing for? At first, Deborah believes the missing item to be a Mycenean death mask, but after exploratory trips to Greece and Russia and multiple attempts on her life, Deborah begins to suspect that the object in question is more powerful than a mere mask. Hartley has created an enduring heroine in Deborah, who's courageous, loyal and smart enough to learn from her mistakes.

As an introduction to Hartley's STEEPLEJACK universe, I think this gave me a good idea of the world and what to expect before I dive into the books themselves.

Macbeth is probably my favorite tragedy of Shakespeare's, and I very much enjoyed this novel, which provides greater depth and detail to the tale. It's not just an effort to place the play in novel form - the authors provide a foreword and afterword which explain how they went about taking inspiration from both the play, actual history, and their own imaginations. It's a rich, occasionally overblown, narrative, solidly contextualized in the historical setting of 11th century Scotland.

The audio, as narrated by the great Scottish actor Alan Cumming, is a delight.

4 stars

So-so. There were some cool ideas, and I liked the characters, but sometimes the story was stretched too thin, and transitions between scenes could be sudden and jarring. All in all, it's a fun read for kids who are fans of fantasy/ adventure.

First off, if I was rating this for myself, I'd probably give it four stars - I love political science fiction, and people (especially women!) questioning cultural traditions - but I'm also grading it for my own reference to refer back to when choosing books to recommend to students. And while it's exciting, it's a hard sell for middle schoolers.

I think the only reason this is categorized as YA is because the protagonist is a teenager; if nothing else were changed (except maybe exploring the effects of a tri-level segregation, but honestly there's the sequel to do that) and Ang was aged up, this would be a full-on pulpy adult science fiction novel. Which is not to say it's bad! That's my favorite genre! But it's a hard sell to younger kids, when a lot of the appeal is someone working withing the limits that society has tried to confine her to and a lot of my kids simply don't have that experience (and this the interest). When the whole plot hinges on that (the fact that Berrit is Lani, the fact that Ang is darker and doesn't have all the access she needs, the fact that the theft of the Beacon was a cover for the secret land deals) and you try to remove it to sell it to someone, you're selling the novel short.

Otherwise, there's a lot of action and some fun turns in the drama. I found myself making connections before Ang and getting frustrated that she wasn't (yes, of course that old dead black man you found is the same old black man Mnenga was looking for! Yes of course this is connected to the government!), the mystery was solid and I wasn't able to put it all together myself.

3 and a half. I never knew where this book was headed. It was good to be kept guessing. The last few chapters kept piling on the revelations. I'll look for something else by Hartley.

Not an adaptation of the play, instead Hartley and Hewson have expanded the storyline as a novel, filling in the plot with transitional scenes and offstage scenes as well as altering the language to allow for easier reading than the play. It gives a new perspective on the Macbeths. Hewson's afterword is interesting and informative and explains which parts of the story coincides with Shakespeare's work and with history. It was written exclusively for audio and was brilliantly narrated by [[Alan Cumming]]. An inspired work.½

If you don't know the play and don't care to read a script, it is a good way to learn the story. Alan Cummings narration is excellent. It lacks the magnificent language of the orginal.

I liked this quite a bit, fascinating world building and a really relatable and likeable main character. It reminded me just a little of a more grown up [b: A Pocket Full of Murder|24885734|A Pocket Full of Murder (Uncommon Magic, #1)|R.J. Anderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1441586898s/24885734.jpg|41394634].

Hamlet is my favorite of Shakespeare's works. Richard Armitage reading this version was wonderful. He did voices for the different characters which made the story that much better.

Still good, but the final volume in the Darwen Arkwright trilogy slipped a little. Darwen, Alex and Rich continue their fight against Greyling, the power-mad man/thing taking over Silibrica and eager to take over our world as well. This final book doesn't have a smooth flow though. It often feels like it's leaping randomly from one place to another, in both worlds. Although everything that happens and everyone they meet in these scattered and abrupt adventures all tie in to the climax of the story, they still feel awfully scatter-shot along the way. Alex finds ways to be sarcastic, even in the middle of the most deadly events, Rich seems to be able to figure out how to operate and reconfigure machinery from another dimension, and no matter how much violent action is taking place, Darwen always finds time to ponder the meaning of the events. This stands out particularly at the conclusion of the book when all hell is breaking loose all over the place, and yet Darwen, Rich and Alex manage to find time to discuss the possible meanings of everything that's going on, and ponder the moral character of some of their classmates and teachers.
That's a lot of criticism. If you've read the first two books and enjoyed them, I think you'll find this worth the read, but it won't live up the first book in the series.

This book surprised me by living up to the challenge of expounding on Shakespeare's tale.

Of course, this is the tradition Shakespeare worked in, where stories belonged to no one, and the point was: Does your telling of the story we all know entertain us or teach us something?

The Macbeth and Lady Macbeth of this novel are brutal, sad, tormented souls, realized in a way a novel does, and not simply novelized. Well done.

Not too long after the end of the first volume, the strange Mr. Peregrine joins the faculty of Hillside Academy, just as Darwen takes a one-time trip to Silibrica and sees a boy being dragged off by a horrifying creature that he has not seen before. He learns from Mr. Peregrine that the creature was the Insidious Bleck and in no time at all, they have figured out that the boy was taken from Costa Rica and Mr. Peregrine has scheduled a class trip there.
On the trip, the reader may get a bit wearied by Darwen, Alex and Rich's constant spatting with each other. It was reminiscent of that Harry Potter volume where the trio was always angry with each other about something or other. But, slog through the angsty parts and there's all the exciting fun of the first volume waiting. There is less traveling between worlds in this volume than in the first. Most of the action takes place in the jungle (Rich: "Rainforest.") of Costa Rica, but with plenty of creatures that have slipped into our world from Silibrica.
So, a little step down from volume one, just because of the fighting between friends, but a good solid fantasy all the same.

I usually end up disappointed with books involving magic and fantasy, but this one was good.
Darwen Arkwright is in middle school at an elite private academy in Atlanta, where most of the other people there, teachers and students, treat him with derision, while we, the readers, can plainly see that he's a great guy. He is given a mirror by the odd Mr. Peregrine, after some strange happenings at the local mall. That night, Darwen discovers that after sundown, he can physically go through the mirror into another world. All too soon he learns that there are sinister plans afoot in the other world and ultimately it will affect both that world and ours unless they can be stopped.
Darwen, and his only two friends, zany Alexandra and hulking science nerd, Rich, must figure out a way to stop the monstrous creatures intent on invading our world.½

I quite like this way of presenting the Macbeth story. It feels strange to re-visit the story years after having read the play by Shakespeare and the novel 'Macbest' by Pratchett, though it is well written and easy to read.

I quite like this way of presenting the Macbeth story. It feels strange to re-visit the story years after having read the play by Shakespeare and the novel 'Macbest' by Pratchett, though it is well written and easy to read.

The conclusion of the Steeplejack trilogy finds Ang Sutonga deep in the politics of the city of Bar-Selehm. When her employer Josiah Willinghouse is accused of murdering the prime minister Benjamin Tavestock, Ang is nearly alone in trying to find evidence to clear his name.

It doesn't help that Tavestock's death left an opening for the Far Right in the person of Norton Richter to seize control of the government and initiate their extremely racist policies. Blacks and browns lose their jobs and homes. The police force loses power to Richter's citizen militia who all happen to be white bully boys.

Meanwhile, there is a new disease that is running through the Drowning which is the Lani part of the city that Ang comes from. It is striking down mostly young girls including Ang's nieces. It takes a while to find out what is causing the illness and the knowledge signals even more trouble for Bar-Selehm.

This story is filled will all kinds of wonderful characters from seventeen-year-old Ang to a charismatic black activist who is looking for a non-violent solution. Willinghouse's sister Dahria is also fascinating as she combines rich society girl with a cynical political eye. She is also Ang's friend - most of the time.

The story was filled with action as Ang investigates to try to clear Willinghouse's name and finds herself spying on any number of villains and facing danger on all sides. The worldbuilding was well done. I like the South African background.

Interesting book and an original setting. I had trouble engaging with it, but it wasn't the book's fault - I was too distracted to give the fairly complicated mystery the attention it deserved.

Life at a modern boarding school weaves through an intricate web of love, mystery and teenage uncertainty in this fresh and slightly edgy retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

This isn't a simple retelling of Romeo and Juliet in more modern times, but rather the author has created a mystical, mysterious and an emotional tale which brings the Shakespearean masterpiece to a level fitting modern day minds. Set in a boarding school in Scotland, the story concentrates not only on Gillian and Romeo but rotates around an entire group, allowing for several stories to flow simultaneously. Included in this is the tale of a teacher from 400 years before and his experiences, which shadow similarities to that of the main characters. It's an intriguing mix, which adds just the right amount of mystery and magic to grab and hold without becoming overpowering.

I didn't read the first book in the series, which might have explained some foggy points surrounding the school. But this was by no means an issue. It was easy to dive into the characters and plot, and can be read as a stand alone without any problems. The first pages grab and let Gillian and some of her problems as well as personality come to light. The next chapters continue with a gasp of boredom into the next scenes and keep the pace high. The story includes that of several characters, a switch which runs smoothly and without confusion. This constant motion, however, did create a little lack of character depth, especially in the first chapters. But the pages hooked, and it was no problem to read this in one sitting.

Summed up, this is a lovely retelling which offers modern day teens a refreshing and grabbing way to dive into a classical story. It will be interesting to see which of Shakespeare's tales the author brings life to next.

I received a complimentary copy.

Roadtrip ear-read. Not my favorite Hartley, but it's only fair because it's not my favorite Shakespeare. Puts me back to high school english class, and that's not always a happy place to be.

The Invisible Hand was a short and fun read. The characters were well created and likable. The storyline was pretty confusing yet not too confusing either.


I felt that the ending wasn't really an ending, but then again, that's how some books end, right? Only to begin again!


I'll be looking forward to the next book's release, and hopefully I'll get to read and review that too!


All in all, The Invisible Hand was intriguing, confusing in a good way, full of adventure and a fun read!

Pros: lots of politics, complex race relations

Cons:

When Willinghouse is framed for murder, Anglet Sutonga, former steeplejack and spy, tries to clear his name. But the white government starts enacting racist policies that disenfranchise the native black Mahweni and brown Lani populations. Meanwhile a mysterious illness strikes the Drowning, where Ang’s sister lives. As tensions in the city increase, Ang starts to wonder if the city she loves can survive.

This book refers often to actions and people from the previous books in the series, so be sure to read them before starting this one.

While Ang isn’t involved with politics herself, the book depends very heavily on the city’s new policies and how people of different races are treated. I loved seeing a variety of leaders from different groups come together at different points trying to create peace and protest the government’s actions.

The book deals very heavily with race relations, showing clear racist actions on the part of the white men in charge. There are peaceful rallies with some frankly brilliant speeches that wouldn’t be out of place at a Black Lives Matter event. The ending is fantastic in this regard, leaving you with a sense of hope that’s desperately needed in today’s political climate.

Ang goes through several emotional upheavals during the book. She’s able to repress her emotions so she can focus on a number of problems, but I liked how the book addressed some of her feelings at the end, once she has time to deal with them.

I really enjoyed this series and while the book deals with heavy subject matter - especially in today’s political climate - its ending of hope really makes it a worthwhile read.

Great narration by Alan Cumming on this expanded version of the "Scottish Play"

I completely enjoyed this in any case, but having Alan Cumming narrate it with a Scottish burr kicked it into 5 star territory for me. Some may not see the point of a novel-sized expansion to Shakespeare's "Scottish Play," but I found Hartley's & Hewson's to be both respectful of the original material and inventive in its enhancements.

There is a whole long prelude of the war with Norwegian King Sweno (actually Svein Knutsson in history) before we even get to Act 1 Scene 1 with the witches on the heath. The witches are portrayed as three very different types ranging from young teenager to crone. Lady Macbeth gets her own name at last ("Skena") and is less the villainess. King Duncan is more of a hideous depraved lecher who is rather deserving of his fate. The porter (with much fewer jokes) doubles as the lead murderer (which is a nice nod to how the actual Shakespearean actor probably had to double up on roles), Banquo's and Fleance's tie in to the later Stewart kings of Scotland is greatly expanded on. etc. etc. Most of the best lines of the play are quoted in their original context, but the borrowing is kept to a minimum.

It all had me researching the historical basis for the characters, cross-checking against the play, and greatly adding to my enjoyment. A very well done job!

I will be honest: stories that dip into horror are not my thing, but AJ Hartley is one of my favorite authors, so I decided to read this. It wasn't easy getting a copy. When I first tried, the book was not even listed on amazon (now listed, but currently sold out, as the book has gone into a second printing.), and unheard of by other booksellers. I finally tracked a copy down through Book Depository (fantastic service and free shipping to the US from UK). Was it worth it? You betcha!

Preston Oldcort's nightmare returned. The Bannister Doll, with all its ghostly horror had come after him, and he finds himself flat out on the sidewalk, waking from the terror-- only to find that it is true, and he is dead, trapped in an in-between place, where the all the horrors of the ghost world are real.

AJ Hartley set this book in his hometown, and uses the setting, including the local legends and stories to full advantage. AS I said, horror isn't my genre of choice, but a well-told ghost story is terrific. And this is a good tale. (Plus the cover is maybe one of my all-time favorites. You have to see it in person to understand the true nature of it, though I did put up a video over at Instagram.

2018-read, a-favorite-author, great-cover, made-me-look-something-up, met-or-know-the-author, not-my-usual-read, read, ya-lit