Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games

 Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games, by Samuel Sattin and Steenz, 208 pgs.

This graphic novel takes a broad view of tracing the early origins of roleplaying games, going far back into global history to trace early origins of imaginative play, improv, and strategy games. Although I would argue that the authors maybe took on too wide of a scope, I did learn a lot of interesting facts about topics I wouldn't otherwise know much about, so I can't be too upset! The illustrations were easy to understand, and they whole book was extremely digestible. 

My biggest criticism is that while this book spends a lot of time on ancient history, there is proportionally way less time spent on the history of actual roleplaying games, and contains almost nothing at all after the 1980's (despite the current boom in the genre). I think I might have liked this book better if it billed itself as being on the origins of roleplaying games, rather than a history of a specific medium that it was ultimately a little sparse about. Still, it was an interesting little book, and if you are interested in the description of the actual contents of the book I suspect you would quite like it!

Evoking Tang : An Anthology of Classical Chinese Poetry

Evoking Tang : An Anthology of Classical Chinese Poetry by Qiu Xiaolong, 162 pages.
Early in the pandemic, wandering around the empty library, I found this book. I wanted to read a book of Chinese poetry and was delighted to find this signed copy of verse translated by local author Qiu Xiaolong. The poems featured here were written between 618 and 907. The poets highlighted in this volume include Bai Juyi, Wang Wei, and Li Bai. The love poems of Yu Xuanji, who was executed in her late 20s for fatally disciplining one of her fellow nuns, include:

"Look Out from the Riverside"

Myriads of upon
myriads of maple leaves
silhouetted against the bridge,
a few sails return late in the dusk.

How do I miss you?

My thoughts follow you
like water in the West River,
flowing eastward, never-ending,
day and night

Campus Sexpot: A Memoir

Campus Sexpot: A Memoir by David Carkeet (2005) 137 pages

David Carkeet taught writing and linguistics at UMSL for 30 years; I took at least one of his writing classes. His chosen title first made me wonder if he was writing about his own experiences on campus, so I had to read it, but I quickly realized his title is rather ironic with regard to himself. Note the photo on the front cover, which was staged for his high school newspaper.

As a backdrop for his memoir, he uses a real novel titled the same as his, Campus Sexpot, which was written in 1961 by Dale Koby. Koby was formerly a high school English teacher in Carkeet's Sonora, California hometown. Koby's novel weaves a story from the viewpoint of Don Kaufield, a thinly disguised rendering of himself. The book was not marketed to the small town of Sonora, but once it was discovered, the residents clamored for it, to see who else in the story could be identified. It was a bit smutty for the time in 1962, and not a well-written story at that, but Carkeet's mother allowed him to read it. He was just 15 at the time, a four-and-a-half-foot tall trumpet player weighing 75 pounds with a self described baby face and inadequate sexual education.

Carkeet intersperses lines from the novel with his critiques of how poorly written they were; in some rare places, he applauds a well-composed sentence. But also the story allows for Carkeet's own youth and family life to be described while dissecting the book. It's often quite funny, but has sometimes serious commentary.

Spur of the Moment

Spur of the Moment by David Linzee (2016) 323 pages

Some weeks ago I read an early mystery by local author David Linzee (Death in Connecticut) and at the suggestion of a colleague, I've read this later one. Renata Radleigh is a British-born opera singer who is in St. Louis to perform a minor role in an unusual take on Carmen. Her brother works as a fundraiser for the St. Louis Opera, and he is ecstatic to have convinced Helen Stromberg-Brand, an Adams University researcher, to make a huge donation that will help the ailing opera company. Renata and her brother Don have a history of antagonism for each other, and she is as surprised as anyone when she attacks officers who come to arrest her brother for Helen's murder. Renata is luckily not charged in the attack, and she begins to make her own inquiries into possible murder suspects, to the annoyance of the detective. The solution to the murder is not at all obvious, not matter what the detective thinks. Helen's marriage was floundering and she had some issues regarding her research into a much-needed drug. She had garnered a named professorship at the university, beating out Ransome Chase, a now-bitter colleague who was working for the eradication of  a different disease. And what's going on with Keith Bryson, a hugely rich venture-capitalist who had partnered in Helen's research?

I found this book an enjoyable read, not only for twists and turns in the solution, but also for the local flavor of the St. Louis area.

Too Famous to Live Long

Too Famous to Live Long by David Linzee, 272 pages

After years as a journeyman performer, mezzo soprano Renata Radleigh has finally landed a costarring role in Thelma & Louise: The Opera, which will have its world premiere at the St. Louis Opera. But the production is mired in controversy from the beginning, with a big-name Russian conductor — whose private life is as scandalous as his public ties to the Kremlin — drawing protests wherever he appears. And just five days before Thelma & Louise's premiere, the conductor is killed in the most operatic fashion. While Renata and her beau, Adams University PR hack Peter Lombardo, attempt to catch the killer, the SLO is dealing with an onslaught of controversies, from who will replace the late conductor to who will play Thelma, as an old rival reappears at just the wrong time.

This is Linzee's third Renata Radleigh book, and I very much enjoyed it. I don't read many mysteries, but I really enjoy these. Renata's a great character, the behind-the-scenes-at-the-opera bits ring true, and I would DEFINITELY buy a ticket to see Thelma & Louise as an opera. Do yourself a favor and check out these books by U City's own David Linzee.

One Fell Swoop

One Fell Swoop by David Linzee, 276 pages

Hometown author David Linzee has returned with a second volume in his Renata Radleigh opera mystery series. While the first book featured mezzo soprano Radleigh solving a murder while juggling rehearsals at the St. Louis Opera, One Fell Swoop finds Radleigh back in her native London, but wrapped up in a transatlantic mystery that ties back to her smarmy brother Don and his sudden interest in Parkdale, a downtrodden neighborhood in St. Louis. Once again, Radleigh and her partner in sleuthing Peter Lombardo are trying to save Don's neck, despite Don's attempts to dodge them. And once again, Linzee presents a fun, quick read full of twists and turns, with plenty of nods to St. Louis, its institutions and neighborhoods. I'm already looking forward to more Renata Radleigh books!

Spur of the Moment

Spur of the Moment by David Linzee, 323 pages

Mezzo-soprano Renata Radleigh is preparing for a minor role in the St. Louis Opera's avant garde production of Carmen when a bigwig donor is found dead. For the police and the court of public opinion, Renata's brother, Don, the SLO's main donor schmoozer, is the prime suspect, and while there's no love lost between the Radleigh siblings, Renata is convinced that her brother's innocent and starts digging around the donor's life to clear his name. Her investigation takes her into the competitive world of medical research and development at Adams University, where she suspects she'll find the truth.

I'll be completely honest: the main reason I checked out this book was to support Linzee, a UCPL patron, and someone I've worked with on various projects over the years. I'd never read any of his novels and I wasn't sure what to expect. What I discovered was a well-written, engaging murder mystery, with plenty of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Renata is a fantastic heroine, and I genuinely hope that Linzee writes more books about her escapades as both an amateur detective and an opera performer. (I also hope to read about many more of the wacky opera productions; Linzee's kooky Carmen was hilarious.)

Rake

Rake by Scott Phillips, 192 pages.

Local author Scott Phillips wrote one of my favorite  books of noir fiction this year, but this one centers around an amoral, philandering soap-opera star, instead of an amoral private detective. Randall is a moderate success in the States, but his soap is hugely, phenomenally popular in France. He decides to take advantage of that fact and make a movie there. He seeks financing from a violent arms dealer (while sleeping with the man's wife), and starts co-writing the script with a local writer of crazily pornographic prose. Randall is also sleeping with the head of the the production company, a young woman who wants to be an actress, and a former co-worker whose now doing porn. Now husbands, ex-husbands, and boyfriends are all after him, and his whole movie deal is unraveling. The steps he takes to save his deal are horrific, but like a true Phillips character, he is blithely unconcerned as he adds to his crimes. Great fun for those who don't mind the sex and violence.

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Dave Store Massacre

The Dave Store Massacre by Ron Ebest 219 pgs.

A great book by a local author.  Dave Store does bear some resemblance to a store you might know but I'm sure all of the information contained within this book is purely fictional  The action takes place in Jackson, MO where the workers of the last remaining town enterprise decide to strike.  Chaos ensues.  But this isn't just a story of labor vs. management, there is also a budding romance between the town mayor and the police chief.  Enjoyable book.

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Hear us roar

Hear us roar:  a history of Flynn Park School, University City, MO by Gabe Fleisher 36 pgs.

This history of Flynn Park School was written by a library patron.  If you missed his event last week where he spoke about his research and this book, you missed something great.  Gabe Fleisher tells us how the University City School District began but then focuses on Flynn Park School, an elementary school that opened in 1924.  Flynn Park has a lot of interesting history and this is fine work by a new young author.

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Never hug a nun

Never hug a nun/Kevin Killeen 182 pg.

Patrick is one of three brothers living in Webster Groves, MO growing up in a good Catholic family.  But Patrick sometimes has a bit of a problem actually BEING good.  He finds himself in some strange situations but  many are typical of a childhood in a nice suburban neighborhood in the 60's.  This book is fun to read and full of local color.  Congrats to author Kevin Killeen on his first book and may many more follow.

Archangel

Archangel by Sharon Shinn  390 pp.

I will admit right now that I probably would never have picked up this book if the author wasn't a friend. I feel guilty for only reading a couple of her books. I attempted this one once but stopped reading after only a few chapters. This time I tackled it via audiobook and I stuck with it. It's a fantasy about angels and humans who live in cooperation with each other under the rule of an archangel who serves for 20 years. Raphael is the outgoing archangel and his rule has been less than "angelic." Gabriel is to become the new archangel but not until he finds and marries the woman selected by Jovah (the god) for him. His bride is a strong minded slave named Rachel and the two seem entirely unsuited to each other. A major part of the story concerns the two butting heads about just about everything. But when their entire world is threatened, they learn to work together and maybe even find they love each other. There are four more books in this series.