Not-quite Monday Musings: Happy Holidays

The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder

The first in Mark Hodder's series "Burton & Swinburne", The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack is something of an alternate history - peopled with characters whose names are at least vaguely familiar from history, but whose lives are nothing like.  The story is set mostly in Victorian London - but as with most steampunk, fantasy, or alternative history works - it is London that vastly differs from that in the history books. 

Told primarily from the viewpoint of Sir Francis Burton, a seasoned explorer and adventurer, the story plunges almost immediately into mystery and intrigue.  A colleague is gravely injured.  Sir Francis receives an unexpected summons.  Then he is accosted by a creature out of nightmare. 

Although the book moves fairly quickly from event to event - I sometimes still felt as though the story was advancing too slowly.  The main mystery - Spring Heeled Jack himself - sometimes appears to get lost in the myriad complications encountered by Burton and his friend Swinburne.  However it is clear that Hodder did his research - that he enjoyed his history lessons.  And Spring Heeled Jack - while not entirely unpredictable - did have elements that none-the-less were at least thought-provoking. 

Other Musings:

By now, I feel as though I should have learned that holidays are rarely as productive as I intend for them to be. Still, sitting on the sofa, enjoying the picture formed by recently-wrapped presents under the tree - I can't quite bring myself to be concerned.  A vacation, a holiday, should be a break from the ordinary - from the fuss and the flutter. 

Tomorrow, we'll be headed to my in-laws' home to spend Christmas there.  Merry Christmas to all of you, wherever and with whomever your holidays find you!