triple play

Murder on Baker Street by various authors
Sherlock Holmes lives! Resurrected by renowned mystery authors, there are eleven new stories, with vampires, mysterious kidnappings, and treasure hunters.

Good. Some stories were definately better-written than others, and some picked up Doyle's style better than others. Such as A Hansom for Mr. Holmes, which is told from a cabbie's point of view and is never clear on what the actual problem is. This, of course, is not good. But that was only one story; all the rest were clear and kept me guessing!
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The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
Chauntecleer the Rooster rules over a Coop in a small corner of the world. Unbeknownst to him, he is a keeper of Wyrm, a gigantic, oozing serpent locked in the middle of the earth. But Wyrm has a plan, and he creates thousands of basilisks and a Cockatrice, and Chauntecleer and his kingdom must fight for the world.

I know the story sounds stupid, but it was really a very good book. Chauntecleer was very nice to read about; he was a very full-formed character and didn't contradict himself.
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God's Messengers: the Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
When King James succeeds Queen Elizabeth as ruler of England, he comes into a country torn by religion. There are the Catholics, who attempt to return the country to Rome; and Anglicans, who are the favorites; and the Separatists, whom no one likes and eventually flee the country. James' dream was peace, and so he commissioned a peace-making Bible that would shape the world and be the standard for the rest to come.

Good. It was really interesting, how all those really different men- Puritan and Anglican and atheist- were really determined to make peace, and they made a beautiful book. It's really almost like poetry. It made me compare it to my NIV, and despite the easiness of the NIV, it seems like something was lost in the translating. The words don't mean quite as much to me.

The Paradoxes of Mr. Pond by G.K. Chesterton

Mr. Pond is an odd man who says things called paradoxes, without even realizing it. Such as: How did a general fail to complete his mission by his subordinates' complete obedience? Or, How are there difficulties in deporting a desirable alien? Such are the paradoxes. At first, they seem utterly at odds and complete nonsense, but as Mr. Pond tells the story behind each, you see that they make perfect sense.

Very good. Chesterton writes very well, thinking up riddles and solving them with impeccable English and good adjectives. I like his description of Mr. Pond- Mr. Pond looks like a fish with a beard, and the description is so well-done that Mr. Pond is in your head, clear as day.

Merry Christmas!
And- dare I say it?- Happy Birthday, Jesus!