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Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Iron and Magic" by Ilona Andrews is the first of a spin-off series from the Kate Daniels universe. It begins with the character of Hugh D'Ambray, Roland's former warlord and Kate's one-time stalker. Roland casts Hugh out after Hugh fails to get Kate to willingly agree to meet with Roland. So Hugh has sunk into a drunken stupor, waiting to die. Hugh is forced to become sober and help out the remnants of the Iron Dogs, the fighting force he put together for Roland, because Hugh's enemy, Landon Nez, is hunting and killing all of the Iron Dogs that he can find. With his back against the wall, Hugh agrees to marry The White Warlock, a woman leading a group of people called The Departed. This book explains who Hugh is, why he did what he did in the Kate Daniels books, and why he worshipped Roland. It also hints at who Hugh might have been in different circumstances. Elara Harper, The White Warlock, is

The Ape That Understood the Universe: How the Mind and Culture Evolve by Steve Stewart-Williams My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. "The Ape That Understood the Universe" by Steve Stewart-Williams is an amazing book that discusses how evolutionary forces shaped human beings, and continue to shape human beings, in terms of culture and psychology. The book begins with a fictitious report by an alien species on the strange life on the planet, asking all sorts of questions that seem obvious once someone points them out. Stewart-Williams then goes on to explain humanity, answering the alien's questions. I found this book to be interesting, in the good sense of the word. I also found that I could not read it as quickly as I read other books. I would cover one section, and then my brain felt full. There is no better metaphor for the sensation. I spent time thinking about what I read, and sometimes