Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Husband / Dean Koontz

The Husband

category: thriller, author:

Dean Koontz

original copyright 2004,
read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

This book began with a very confronting situation... No need for me to spoil it, just read the front cover of the book. The setup was enough to make me almost afraid to read on... I do not like "nasty" books.

Still, this is Dean Koontz. I enjoy Dean Koontz books. Though I never did finish reading Intensity... it was too intense for me.

The Husband sets up a very -- potentially -- nasty situation. Within a few chapters I realised, The Husband is unbeatable: there will be a happy ending!

With a sigh of relief, I read on...

Despite the nasty setup this is, I believe, a story of the strengths and weaknesses of family. The hero had an awful family upbringing -- yet he survived, with the strength to be a hero when the need arose. We can all overcome our childhood trauma... not everyone does.

This book is about the strengths -- and weaknesses -- of families and of individuals. The hero will triumph, there is no doubt (after the first few chapters) of that. What obstacles will he overcome? How will he overcome them? Those are the questions which kept me reading, almost non-stop, to the very satisfying conclusion.

Koontz presents a very positive view of the world. Yes, there is evil. Yes, niceness will overcome that evil. I may have my doubts -- but Koontz' view of the world makes for a very enjoyable book.

Put aside your doubts. Cheer for the hero, cheer as the villain gets his comeuppance... The message may or may not be believable. So what?! This is a book to be enjoyed.


..o0o..
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The Silent Vulcan / James Follett

The Silent Vulcan

category: science fiction, author:

James Follett

book 3 of Temple of the Winds
original copyright 2002,
read in September 2010 (and before, in August 2008)

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

Back in 2008 I read all three of the Temple of the Winds books. The Silent Vulcan can probably be read -- and enjoyed -- by itself. But it makes more sense to know the characters, at least, if not the first two parts of the story. In other words: Try to read the first two first but don't let that stop you from reading the third...

This third book of the trilogy provides a wrap-up...

A large village and its surrounding countryside is suddenly isolated by an alien force-shield. Reminiscent of John Wyndham's books, no-one knows quite why it happened and the focus of the book is on the villagers' responses to the sudden changes in their lives.

The villagers' responses are... well... a bit Lord of the Flies... Not all, sweetness and light.

The alien force-shield appears and is impenetrable. And that's it, from the aliens. They are silent, they are untouchable, they are invisible. They are benign. Which leaves Follett to find conflict amongst the villagers.

Fortunately enough, the village includes a large group of religious fanatics with a penchant for sex, violence and intolerance. While the village as a whole works hard to adapt to its new, enclosed environment, the fanatics and the more conservative establishment battle it out for supremacy. All within a very British system of democracy.

Imagine an episode of Midsomer Murders... all very proper, with just a touch of violence.

The main thrust of The Silent Vulcan is the gradually escalating battle between fanatics and establishment. The aliens finally take some action but it is almost incidental. The climactic battle of the villagers concludes and -- almost as an afterthought -- Follett has the aliens provide a reason for their visit.

Potential Plot Spoiler: To my mind, the reason for the aliens' visit is only incidental to the plot; it sets the scene but is otherwise irrelevant. Still, the dedicated reader may wish to avoid the plot spoiler in the next two paragraphs...

The main conflict through all three books of Temple of the Winds is due to the threat of the religious fanatics as they attempt violence on the innocent. The aliens, as it turns out, have a religious basis for their visit to Earth: Of all the galactic civilisations, only these aliens have not had a visitation from God. The aliens visit Earth -- and other planets -- in an effort to see why all these other civilisations have been so lucky.

Having read the Temple of the Winds trilogy... Having read of the battle by religious fanatics against the more civilised forces of established society... I would think, These aliens are extremely lucky -- they have never had a personal visit from God. It's time for them to learn their lesson, go home, and be thankful for their own godless society.

That's just my opinion. It may conflict with Follett's intended point. But if the reason for the aliens' we-come-in-peace visit was intended to be important to the plot of this book... it failed.

This is a good book, of a good trilogy. An alien motivation is irrelevant. The author felt that he had to provide one, so fine... It's either a pointless necessity -- or a pointed message when compared with the rest of the story. Read it as you will. Or just read it :-)


..o0o..
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Friday, September 24, 2010

The Twisted Citadel / Sara Douglass

The Twisted Citadel

category: fantasy, author:

Sara Douglass

book 2 of Darkglass Mountain
original copyright 2008,
read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

Here's an interesting observation: Reading in fits and starts allows more involvement with the story. It's a one-off observation -- yet to be tested -- on my own reading style. It is interesting to me. Perhaps, also, to you...?

And here's another observation: The Search PissWeakly toolbar does not work. It does not find the second book in the PissWeakly list... It really is time for me to go back to my original index idea, a Google spreadsheet which can be sorted, searched and used as a link back to
PissWeakly... Now back to that first observation:

I recently read Darkglass Mountain book one: The Serpent Bride. I had read it before, I read it quite quickly, I enjoyed it the second time. Enjoyed it -- but was not greatly involved in the story. Why not?

Reading The Twisted Citadel, I was much more involved with the story: I wondered what was coming next, I wondered what was about to happen to the characters, I began to see more "character" in the characters. This was -- I think -- because I was reading more slowly.

Some books, you read a mile a minute... un-put-downable. Get to the end and wonder... What just happened? There is no time to think... no time to absorb. If it's a good book, I'll read it again, and possibly find more detail to the story.

I read Citadel in bits and pieces, with other -- non-reading -- activities in between. So I had time to absorb, to digest, to remember, to understand.

Did I enjoy it more? No, not really... It was just a different experience!

Read The Twisted Citadel for good fantasy. Not just fantasy the genre, but fantasy in the ideas: Infinity becomes a glass pyramid becomes a walking, talking villain; gods plan for millennia, mess up, change sides, lose their god-powers; super-evil-villain, arrival forecast for centuries, finally arrives and is eaten by an even-more-super villain... All very fantastic, all totally unbelievable... all perfectly acceptable in this tall tale of heroic heroes, evil villains and star-crossed lovers.

The star-crossed lovers -- and there are several pairs of them -- are the main themes of this book. Sure, they live in a fantastic, fantasy world. So what? Star-crossed love provides the real drama... And -- thank goodness -- it looks as though the various lovers may, eventually, get together. At least until the next trilogy begins...

So is this "fantasy" or is it really "romance"?

I categorised Twilight as both "fantasy" and "romance": the romance was essential, the fantasy element made the romance unique. Citadel has strong romance -- but the romance is based in the fantasy. I believe that a romance reader could read and enjoy Twilight. I believe that you would need to be a fantasy fan to enjoy the romance of Citadel.

That's my belief. For what it's worth. Which is -- in the context of this blog -- an awful lot of worth:-)

This second book of the trilogy is a lot of fun. Better yet -- for my preferences -- the book itself has a conclusion. Yes, there is a major storm brewing on the horizon. But the book concludes many of the plot threads.

Okay, "concludes" is probably too strong a word for it!

The Twisted Citadel could be read alone -- and enjoyed. It would make a lot more sense if you had read book one of Darkglass Mountain. To get a solid background on the characters -- rather than the quite effective back-story references -- there are at least three other books that you should read.

When you reach the end of this book, you can sit back and think, that was fun! Not, I wonder how they will get out of that? but, That was fun, and it ended well... It would be nice to find out what happens next -- but there have been enough satisfactory conclusions already.

Read, enjoy, and look forward to many more books to continue Douglass' fantastic saga.


..o0o..
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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Cauldron / Jack McDevitt

Cauldron

category: science fiction, author:

Jack McDevitt

book 6 of The Academy Novels
original copyright 2007,
read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

This book in one word? "Slow."
The cover says, "The logical heir to Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke." But then, Stephen King knows all about dead slow writing... Like King's own books, Cauldron is slow, slow, slow.

Is it "hard" science fiction? Well, the "slow" may be because it's a story of the development of new space flight technology. Technology -- and space flight -- first, action and adventure come a slow second. Yet there is no explanation for the new space drive: it's just faster than the old. So it's not Asimov or Clarke foreseeing new technology; it's McDevitt imagining that some unknown and undescribed new technology will be developed.

The actual theme of the book is the difficulty of getting people to accept new and exciting opportunities. We have a new and faster faster than light drive! But let's just stay at home... McDevitt is keen to see humanity expand out into the stars -- and he sees caution and cowardice slowing down the expansion. All very current, I support the idea, it just hasn't made for a very exciting story.

The pace of scientific development is -- realistically -- slow. Does the test flight work first time? No. Second time? Not immediately. I'm reminded of an old Readers Digest article on pulp magazine writers...

The writers were paid by the word: more words, more pay. So a gunfighter -- for example -- would never kill his opponent with the first bullet. "Bang!" was not enough. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" etc -- all the way to the very last bullet -- earned more income. Just like those pulp writers, McDevitt prefers the sloooow plot development.

Then there's the science.

As I mentioned, McDevitt has new technology but no explanation of its theoretical basis. No worries. It just means that this is not -- according to my definitions -- "hard" science fiction. Then there is the obvious oversight -- something that clashed even with the light level of scientific explanation.

The galaxy, it seems, is littered with unstoppable interstellar objects which destroy anything which has regular, rectangular outlines. Civilisations, for example, are regularly shaped and regularly destroyed.

The heroes are setting out to visit the source of these killer objects. The source is near the galactic centre. So the spaceships are built up with extra, external anti-radiation armour. And that armour -- is like a box: regular, rectangular... just asking to be destroyed by the killer objects that are produced at the spaceships' destination!

Ah well. It's a fun book. It may make more sense if you read the previous five in the series. Still...

Science fiction, grand scale, a message for today. Not too bad. Really.

===

re-read in September 2018:

All of the above. Plus: How stupid are the characters ?!

The approach to spaceflight is a bit like Doc Smith's approach: here's a spaceship, hop aboard, take-off. Except that Doc Smith's characters are competent. Strong, intelligent, capable. McDevitt's characters have more depth, yet none of them are particularly likeable. And none are particularly competent.

Let's all go into this hole in the ground ! No need to leave anyone on watch. When radio contact is lost: Let's all just keep going ! No need to keep in touch with anyone who can see if danger approaches... All this on a planet which is absolutely teeming with vicious predators.

Then the remaining characters reach the centre of the galaxy. There's an intelligent being there, it's been there for a billion years or so, it's millions of light years from Earth. And it speaks English... Good grief. I suspect that logic was thrown out so that the final chapters could make a point.

And that's like a lot of this book: unrelated incidents, each there to make some point. It's readable but oh so slow. The book really needs a more coherent -- and more interesting -- plot.


..o0o..
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Friday, September 17, 2010

The Serpent Bride / Sara Douglass

The Serpent Bride

category: fantasy, author:

Sara Douglass

book 1 of Darkglass Mountain
original copyright 2007,
read in September 2010 (and before, a year or two ago...)

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

I enjoyed this book. I also enjoyed it the first time that I read it. Why did I read it a second time?

When I picked up this book at the local library, I did not recognise it. As soon as I started reading -- it was familiar. Still... an Australian author, no PissWeakly review, need to write a review... Anyway: I was enjoying the book! So, read on...

This book is easy to read. Easy to enjoy. Satisfactory ending. Just don't expect a fairytale ending!

I've read one other book by Douglass, The Wayfarer Redemption. Which -- strangely enough -- I have also read twice. Well, not so strange: that one changed its name, just to confuse me. Anyway:

Wayfarer was, I think, Douglass' first novel. A whole lot of strong interesting characters, battles against evil, indifference and lust, and a to-be-continued ending. In books two and three of that trilogy the hero moved from general to leader to god. Then got the girl -- and died.

In Serpent -- he's back from the dead!

So too are lots of other characters from the first trilogy. Okay, they were not all dead, just otherwise disposed of. In Serpent, they all seem to be getting together again. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Then there's the main character... As far as I can tell, he was an un-deposed king in yet another Douglass book. Now, he's revealed as being the long lost heir to a very mythic and magical lord and master of all he surveys... Wow!

Still, the villains are new. (As far as I can tell, having missed many books in the sequence!) And they are evil, and overwhelming, and they pervert past minions to be even more nasty than before. Wow again!

Douglass has built a world. Now she is telling us long and complex stories of the people who live in that world.

The action is fun -- occasional sharp and brutal small fights, then entire cities are wiped out -- but action is not a main theme. The main theme... is tangled romance. Sure, the hero gets his army -- but he certainly doesn't get his girl! Not in book one, at least.

This is a Mills & Boon soap opera. Larger than life, over dramatic, over nice. This is, in other words, a lot of fun. With a very... possibly old... Mills & Boon view of gender roles:

The men are all handsome, sometimes unconventionally handsome. They are charismatic, amazingly so. Often driven. Deeply emotional, often deeply flawed. One of the gods puts the millennia-old plans at risk because he wants to bed the heroine...

And the women are strong -- but subservient. One woman displays her inner strength by slapping the god (in human form ) -- and then looking down in embarrassment and fear! Ooooohh! The main role for women is, it seems, to seduce and be seduced. All the "real" work is done by men. Flutter... blush... swoon.

Easy to read, no real need to have read the previous books. I have the next book in this series -- and look forward to continuing the saga.


..o0o..
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Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Keep / F. Paul Wilson

The Keep

category: horror, author:

F. Paul Wilson

book 1 of The Adversary Cycle
published by Tor,
original copyright 1981, read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

Soft-core horror...

Not that there is such a genre. Not by that name, anyway. What I mean is, all the traditional elements of horror -- with no edge... no real nastiness.

Or perhaps I'm just inured to nastiness...

Beautiful virgin, heroically masculine experienced man, aged scientist, ancient evil creature from the prehistory of the world, an army of zombie minions... All the elements of a standard horror potboiler.

Luckily enough, I prefer to avoid the really nasty... If a book gives me nightmares -- I would rather not have read it. The Keep is easy to read, enjoyable, lightweight horror. A good book to read to pass the time.

There is, however, one more interesting aspect to this book...

The evil creature of The Keep feeds on human suffering. He enjoyed his time working with Vlad the Impaler. For those who live on human suffering, Vlad's antics would be just a light snack -- compared to the multi-course feast of Nazi Germany.

Yes, The Keep is set in WW II. German soldiers are killed -- horribly. Nazi storm troopers are killed -- nastily. The evil creature kills dozens of these soldiers (plus a few villagers). But...

But the evils of the evil creature pale into insignificance against the evils of the Nazis of WW II. Yes, it's human cruelty a clear winner.

The evil creature is trapped. If it escapes, it will grow huge and all-powerful, feeding on the human cruelty of Nazi Germany. That's a future threat, to add some suspense to the story.

The real horror, is what humans -- Nazis -- are already doing.

There are all sorts of ancient evil monsters, lurking in every shadowed and mysterious dark place of the world. Put one foot wrong and unspeakable evil will be released upon the world.

Avoid all the dark and hidden places of the world -- and there is still enough horror to fill endless books. Human-kind has a history of horror. Wilson takes an ancient evil... And adds Nazis, for a truly bloodcurdling -- though still lightweight -- chill of horror.


..o0o..
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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Village Bakery, Woodlands

Village Bakery, Woodlands

category: TripsOut, author:

Agamedes

September 2010

We had a well-timed morning: A run in Kings Park which finished just before the first shower of rain. After lunch and the rain has settled in. No worries, we'll take the car.

Off to Bunnings, to look at options for an outside playpen for our otherwise indoors cat. (The previous cat ate one wild bird per day -- at least -- plus pet rabbits. This cat is strictly confined.) Purpose-built cages are ridiculously expensive and limited in shape. I visualise either chicken-wire laid in a circle, or shelving framework with mesh "walls".

The carpark is crowded. The obvious space holds a trailer -- visible only once it's too late to get back to the last empty space. Circle the block, try again. Temper frays.

Bunnings has shelving kits, packs of struts and shelves, easy to build. I pick one up, the box falls apart, shelf struts fall everywhere. Not going well so far.

We check other options: squares of mesh at too many dollars each, chicken-wire by the large roll. Go home and think about it, we decide.

Still, while we're there, we need some herb seedlings. Italian parsley and basil. Italian parsley looks like a weed to me -- to me, parsley should have curly leaves -- I have trouble spotting it on the shelves. No worries, that's why there are two of us.

Between the two of us, we cannot find any basil. Too early in Spring, perhaps. We'll come back in a few weeks and try again. So we leave Bunnings empty-handed.

Leaving the carpark is also a failure. Our plans to turn right are foiled by traffic. We settle for going straight on, heading for the small shopping centre by Jackadder Lake.

Driving through the narrow, winding suburban streets, a big 4WD roars up on us from behind. Sits on our tail. I slow down to a speed which feels safe. Oh dear, I seem to annoy the tailgater! Excellent :-)

Park at the shops -- Woodlands Village -- walk in. And the rain starts to pelt down. Good timing!

The shopping centre is crowded with after-school parents and children. Big kids, little kids, eating, playing, making noise. Lots of fun, entertainment while we shop :-) Time for coffee:

Village Bakery, Woodlands
Coffee and cake at the Village Bakery.

The Bakery is a kitchen, a counter in the main corridor, three small tables and a dozen or less chairs. I claim a table for two, we select a cherry ripe slice for cake.

Coffee is good, cake is a bit disappointing. Not bad, just not exciting... and one of us does not like the marzipan flavour. Ah well, no worries, we enjoy the experience.

As soon as we leave our table -- it is claimed by big kids in school uniforms. Our coffee experience includes children coming from school and needing food. Chips, mostly... Some of these "children" are taller than us, wearing their "2010 Leavers" jackets. Many of them are soaking wet -- the rain is still pelting down.

A minor observation which may or may not be generalisable: Several of the older boys are soaking wet; none of the older girls are even damp. Is this a subtle yet significant indicator of the different approaches to life of men and women? Or is it just a meaningless coincidence...

We also notice that school uniform skirts are short and tight and that dark stockings -- or possibly tights -- are a part of the uniform. The uniform may vary, depending on shape, size and attitude, we decide.

The rain has cleared, enough to get back to the car. And so we leave. To drive home again, through more pelting rain.

It's a wet old day. I hope that the farmers are happy. We are :-)


..o0o..
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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Weapons of Magical Destruction / Stan Nicholls

Weapons of Magical Destruction

category: fantasy, author:

Stan Nicholls

book 1 of Orcs: Bad Blood
published by Gollancz,
original copyright 2008, read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

Orc stereotype: Always evil, always cruel, often stupid. Always in hordes, always slaughtered by the heroes. Never villains, just minions of the villains. Always... until...

Well, Markus Heitz took The Dwarves from supporting cast to lead role. Now Nicholls has taken Orcs from minions to stars.

Actually, my memory (from just six months ago!) failed me... I was thinking that Heitz had promoted Orcs! Good grief! Am I reading too many books?! No matter, the facts may be wrong but my opinion stays the same:

Heitz took the Dwarves from supporting act to starring role. He did it with strong characters who maintained their Dwarvish natures. The Dwarves of The Dwarves could only have been Dwarves. The book took Dwarvish stereotypes, applied them to strong characters and, in part, explained why Dwarves are the way that they are seen by other races.

Nicholls takes a bunch of tough-but-loyal soldiers -- and calls them Orcs.

Sure, they're the toughest fighters around. Sure, they have hatchlings instead of children. Sure, they eat raw meat. So what? Really, they are tough-but-loyal soldiers drawn just a little bit tougher. Tougher than most, that is.

Not that it's a bad book!

I enjoyed the action. There's the occasional flash of humour. For example...

The Orcs are following a road in the hope that it will lead to where they want to go. They pass a group of strangers, exchange goodwill rather than blows. (These hero Orcs don't harm those who show no threat.) As the groups part ways the female Orc asks her leader, "Why won't you males ever ask for directions?"

These Orcs are tough and they enjoy a good fight. They support each other and they support other Orcs in need. Orcs have no magic but they defeat human magic with cold steel.

Hmmm... Humans are bad, many are evil, they treat Orcs as you would expect, given the stereotype. Some Humans do treat Orcs fairly, as equals. There are good Humans, and bad. Amongst the Orcs, there are strong Orcs and there are weak Orcs. But there are -- as far as I can tell -- no evil Orcs. Okay, I guess that's the advantage of being the heroes of this book.

So it's Orcs plus a few Humans (plus a couple of Dwarves) versus a world of cruel Humans lead by a few evil Humans. Simple schemes successfully executed, mostly supported by cold steel. Major battles, lots of blood and gore. Orcs may not win every battle -- but they always get away (after a few deaths of minor characters) to fight another day.

Okay, it's a potboiler. But it's an enjoyable potboiler. It stars the Orcs but they are not much more than tough, two-fisted fighters. Which is a pity. But it's still an enjoyable book.


There are some books which give a much better insight into Orcs. A believable insight, which explains why they are as they are. Books which set Orcs up as heroes who fight for "the other side". Those books are part of the World of Warcraft universe.

I read some of those World of Warcraft books, a couple of years ago. Before I began this book review blog. In my memory, those books would rate a seven, or possibly even an eight. Perhaps it's time to find them again, re-read them, and give them a PissWeakly review...


..o0o..
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Retromancer / Robert Rankin

Retromancer

category: fantasy, author:

Robert Rankin

a sequel? to... ??(*)
published by Gollancz,
original copyright 2009, read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

There's a lot of good humour in this -- I mean, it's funny -- but the plot just drifts. Then it drops into self-reference.

There's an interesting style of writing, it strikes me as a variant of the Scarlet Pimpernel style of Gadzooks, old chap! Occasionally interrupts the flow of reading but it's unique. And adds to the fun of the book.

The characters are overdrawn -- for humour. The humour is generally funny, nothing cruel. There are puns and situational jokes and humorous references to reality. Including some slightly pointed comments on society. All very entertaining. But not -- to me -- uproariously, laugh-out-loud funny.

There is not so much a "plot", as a loosely linked series of comic sketches. The heroes must tackle a dozen cases... It's a mystical requirement, apparently. Or, rather, a way in which the author can simplify his writing: twelve short adventures rather than one major story.

Yes, there is a loose link between most of the adventures. I was pleased to see that the apparently casual discovery in chapter one was put to good use at the end of the book. As far as solving puzzles, however... the know-all character simply knows the solution. Which would be fine -- if there were a bit more explanation of how he knew.

Then there's the self-reference.

Is that idea any good for a running gag? asks the first-person narrator. Is the beer-name running gag wearing thin? he wonders. Is this poor writing technique? Or is the author afraid that we missed the gag...

Retromancer is easy to read. I would be happy to read more of Rankin's books. Retromancer is easy to read. The humour is often very clever. The book is just not all that good.


(*) Rankin's humour appears to extend to his "Also by Robert Rankin" list... There's every indication -- within Retromancer itself -- that it is a sequel to (or possibly a completion of) the adventure begun in The Brightonomicon. I'm just not sure where truth ends and humour begins!

..o0o..
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Thursday, September 2, 2010

Mooba and More

Flat White Mooba and More

category: Trips Out, author:

Agamedes

2 September 10

The cat is at the vet's. We have a few hours to wait till we can pick her up. Time to find some geocaches...

There is a swag of caches in the Canning River Regional Park -- well worth a visit, we think. So off we go.

We only find two caches, though the first is a multi: following clues, point to point, through the suburbs. Just a few kilometres in total but through an unfamiliar area. On top of that -- school is just out for the day. We zig and zag through the streets, slowing for narrow roads, children on foot and parents in cars.

Quite a lot of fun, really!

It's Spring -- just -- and wildflowers are blooming. The final stage of the multi cache -- "gz", or ground zero -- is a hundred metres or so off the nearest road. A short walk through light bush and more open ground with flowers.

We're pleased with our find and decide to try for another.

"Barking Mad"?! Is the cache, perhaps, hidden on the doggy poo bag holder? Nooo... it's another meaning for the word "bark". Takes us a few minutes but the search is successful. Time for another?

Yes... probably... We set the GPS for the next nearest geocache.

These roads are very confusing! Where are we really going? The GPS shows only the next road... and the screen is a bit difficult to read as the light changes.

Enough!

Set the GPS for home and follow its lead.

Even that is complicated! It's not a straight path, out from these parkside suburbs. No worries -- we just follow the GPS. West, north then west again...


We're still a bit early for the cat. Is there time, we wonder, for a cup of coffee?

Of course there is!

There's a coffee shop called Mooba... A coffee machine squeezed in on the edge of a walkway at the end of an IGA. Plastic chairs, plastic blinds, generally open to weather and traffic.

Actually -- it's a pleasant spot with quite good coffee. Perched between busy shops and busier roads.

Mooba closes at 5 pm on weekdays. As we sit here, enjoying our coffee, we wonder what they do at night. It's a bit open!? Do they just leave the chairs and tables out all night?!

As we sit there, enjoying our coffee, half the Mooba staff (that is, one person) starts to clear away the furniture. Chairs are stacked and moved. Tables are folded, stacked and moved. It looks as though all will be cleared for the night.

"All"?! Yes -- though "all" is not very much. It's quite a small coffee shop:-)


Then it's a short drive to the vet's. The cat is alert and happy, bravely sporting a bandage on one paw. We take her home and feed her a hearty dinner.

The cat is sleeping, after the excitement of her day. Well, sleeping as she normally does, for most of each day.

Another great day of cat, coffee and caches.


..o0o..
These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting.
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