2011 Books 17-18

Book 17: Pirates of the Levant by Arturo Perez-Reverte: This is the 6th Captain Alatriste novel, and a bit of a disappointment. That's mostly because it's a bridge novel - he spent books 1-4 alluding to the events in book 5, setting things up over the long haul. Apparently having finished that are Perez-Reverte decided he wanted to write more Alatrist stories, so this book changes the locale from Spain and Flanders to the Mediterranean sea and starts laying references to another, years distant event. I don't mind, but it made this very much a bridging book. It also felt a little darker than the others, of course since this is the Spanish Empire very much in decay nothing is particularly bright.

Book 18: Book of Ballads by Charles Vess and others: this is a collection of Vess' collaborations with authors to illustrate stories based on English and Scottish Ballads. It's lovely and creepy, and full of the things Vess likes to draw (and draws very well).