A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch

Although I hadn't gotten the exact details right, I knew the linchpin on which this mystery turns early in the book. This book seems as much concerned about how Lenox manages the conflicting pressures of Parliament and detecting as the detective work itself. I found the characters more tedious in this outing--especially because Lenox and Lady Jane (his new wife) are utterly unwilling to say anything meaningful to each other the whole book.

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace

I found this collection of essays to be really refreshing and amusing. Wallace covers a wide range of topics with erudition and grace. From the adult entertainment industry to Dostoevsky and Kafka, and from the 2000 primary campaign trail with John McCain (a deeply ambivalent piece in which Wallace admires McCain's character but deprecates his political positions) and conservative talk radio to the September 11th bombings, from the ethics of eating lobster to a review of Garner's guide to American usage, Wallace is always thoughtful, thought-provoking, and witty. The last-mentioned usage review is the best single piece in the collection, but I enjoyed all the essays.

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

This book starts with Temeraire and Laurence separated, as Laurence, having been convicted of treason, is alive only to ensure that Temeraire behaves himself. But with Napoleon threatening London itself and the French dragons appearing in surprisingly large numbers, Temeraire and Laurence are called back into service. I particularly liked Temeraire's growth and insistence on becoming a fully-fledged part of the military in this book, although I hope that the twist at the end is only temporary!

Crosscurrent by Paul Kemp

This book features dissatisfied Jedi Knight, Jaden Korr, who experiences a Force vision and goes off to the Unknown Regions to track down its source. He gets two scavengers to lend their ship to the hunt, and they run into a Sith dreadnought with a damaged hyperdrive that has jumped 5,000 years into the future--and a Thrawn-era research facility that was cloning Force-sensitive individuals. I liked this story--I thought it had the right scope of action. It ties in nicely with both the Lost Tribe of the Sith and the Legacy of the Force and the Fate of the Jedi series. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Allies by Christie Golden

This book seems to explain a lot--almost too much, too quickly. The Jedi seem to be driven mad by Abeloth, a monstrous being in the Maw who may have defeated Callista at one point. Luke joins the Sith (from the Lost Tribe) in a tenuous truce. Daala's behavior gets worse and worse, and the Jedi on Coruscant more beleaguered. I'm intrigued to see where the series goes from here.

Backlash by Aaron Allston

This book takes Luke, Ben, Han, and Leia back to Dathomir. I enjoyed seeing Luke and Ben interact with other Jedi again, and I'm getting increasingly interested in this lost tribe of Sith. It was definitely a very middle-of-the-series book: there are lots of plot lines meandering around that don't seem very close (at all) to resolution (and the what made Jacen Solo go bad thread seems to have been dropped, for the moment at least, entirely). So, we'll see how the series develops from here. I also like the development of Allana's personality.

Trespass by Rose Tremain

This book uses its elegant prose to examine familial betrayals and impositions in the lives of two pairs of siblings brought together over the sale of a house in the South of France. I thought this book was particularly aptly titled--as various kinds of trespassing (on people's land as well as emotions) resonated throughout the book. The pace of the book was leisurely at first, but it all came together to a moving ending.