Banquet of Beggars, by Chris Lloyd.

 

              This is the third book in Chris Lloyd’s series of the German Occupation of Paris during the Second World War.  Its Protagonist Inspector Eddie Giral is, like every other Parisian, surviving on very little with an ill-fitting and voluminous wardrobe to prove it – the only healthy-looking individuals in the City of Light are the German Occupiers;  the local Black Market doesn’t discriminate between Reichmarks and Francs:  whoever can pay the price-gouging sums will get the goods.  Naturally, the Germans are at an advantage here, having plenty of funds and not having to queue for hours for a loaf of bread, only to be turned away when meagre supplies have run out.

        The people of Paris are seething, so it comes as no surprise when Eddie is sent to investigate the murder of a local Black Marketeer, found trussed up in a miniature bath with a big lump of precious butter jammed in his mouth.  Death by suffocation, and good riddance. According to all the locals;  if ever someone deserved their fate it was THAT oily little scum.

            Fair enough, thinks Eddie, until his interviews and digging reveal more than just a passing involvement of the despised victim with various German factions of their armed forces – which brings him again into reluctant contact with Intelligence Officer Major Hochstetter, whose interest in Parisian crime is more involved and comprehensive than it needs to be:  once again Eddie has an investigation which has more skins than an onion, and all of it centred around the deprived and starving population of a beleaguered city hugely disappointed and crushed by their useless government.

            Hochstetter, too, has secrets to hide which Eddie unwittingly discovers, but what at first seems to be a bargaining chip turns once again into potential blackmail concerning Eddie’s estranged son Jean-Luc:  there are several compelling reasons for Jean-Luc’s silence, all of them having the ring of truth – but which one is the RIGHT one?

            Chris Lloyd brings to horrifying life a city under siege, a city full of desperate people calling for help which never arrives, and what they are forced to do to survive.  His minor characters are unforgettable, world-weary, cynical – and starving, and his day-to-day accounts of Paris under Occupation made this reader a whole lot more appreciative of the food which we put so regularly on our table.  FIVE STARS.  

           

           

 

 

Onyx Storm, by Rebecca Yarros.                                              

         

          Here is the third riveting book in Ms Yarros’s series of five fantasy novels about the mythical world of the Empyrean and the love affair between little, deceptively frail Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, flawed but irresistible (not to mention impossibly handsome) man of shadows, who in book two has just been converted to the Dark Side in order to save her life, which means that they spend most of book three trying to find a cure for him so that he can defeat their toxic and supremely malevolent enemies, the Venin.  So far, because of his great love for Violet and his superhuman willpower he has been able to resist the terrible call of supreme and evil addiction, but Violet knows what a struggle it is for him but loves him the more because he has endangered himself for her. 

            The problem is that the rest of the Continent in which they live and study depends on them too, to prevent the entire population from being annihilated by the Venin, and to make matters worse, Violet herself is being pursued by an ex-highpriestess of Dunne (don’t ask. Oh, OK then:  God of War).  Theophanie is evil incarnate but is confident of winning Violet over to evil:  she just has to find the right trigger.  Xaden is the obvious prize along with them both being rulers of the Empyrean world forever – or could it be her second dragon, adolescent Andarna? 

            Once again, the dragons have won my  heart:  they are such great characters, especially Andarna, who has a mind of her own – talk about the impetuosity of youth!  I have to admit that I got a bit bogged down and confused at the warfare plans and the introduction of a whole swag of new characters as Violet and Xaden travel to far-off corners of the Empyrean to try to recruit allies and converts;  fortunately Ms Yarros knows what she’s doing and keeps the whole show on the road at its usual break-neck pace – and thank the Gods that someone is still in the driver’s seat for, once again, she saves the biggest shocks for the last page.  Which is hell on the nerves, especially as it’s going to take a while for book four to present itself: do your best, Ms Yarros, and I’ll still dream of a jolly nice little dragon choosing me for a pet!  FIVE STARS    

         

 

Onyx Storm, by Rebecca Yarros.                                              

         

    
      Here is the third riveting book in Ms Yarros’s series of five fantasy novels about the mythical world of the Empyrean and the love affair between little, deceptively frail Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, flawed but irresistible (not to mention impossibly handsome) man of shadows, who in book two has just been converted to the Dark Side in order to save her life, which means that they spend most of book three trying to find a cure for him so that he can defeat their toxic and supremely malevolent enemies, the Venin.  So far, because of his great love for Violet and his superhuman willpower he has been able to resist the terrible call of supreme and evil addiction, but Violet knows what a struggle it is for him but loves him the more because he has endangered himself for her. 

            The problem is that the rest of the Continent in which they live and study depends on them too, to prevent the entire population from being annihilated by the Venin, and to make matters worse, Violet herself is being pursued by an ex-highpriestess of Dunne (don’t ask. Oh, OK then:  God of War).  Theophanie is evil incarnate but is confident of winning Violet over to evil:  she just has to find the right trigger.  Xaden is the obvious prize along with them both being rulers of the Empyrean world forever – or could it be her second dragon, adolescent Andarna? 

            Once again, the dragons have won my  heart:  they are such great characters, especially Andarna, who has a mind of her own – talk about the impetuosity of youth!  I have to admit that I got a bit bogged down and confused at the warfare plans and the introduction of a whole swag of new characters as Violet and Xaden travel to far-off corners of the Empyrean to try to recruit allies and converts;  fortunately Ms Yarros knows what she’s doing and keeps the whole show on the road at its usual break-neck pace – and thank the Gods that someone is still in the driver’s seat for, once again, she saves the biggest shocks for the last page.  Which is hell on the nerves, especially as it’s going to take a while for book four to present itself: do your best, Ms Yarros, and I’ll still dream of a jolly nice little dragon choosing me for a pet!  FIVE STARS