The Queue
It's not as if At Risk, Dead Line, & Secret Asset were anything but mindless diversions, but Illegal Action was such utter dreck that I doubt I'll ever be able to bring myself to read anything else by Dame Stella Rimington. Really, just awful, awful schlock. Mayhap I should excuse it as the sophomore slump, even though it was her third novel? Mayhap not. I wish Somerset Maugham had written more spy fiction than just Ashenden: or, The British Agent.

Recently
Stella Rimington, Secret Asset
Len Deighton, Spy Sinker
Stella Rimington, Illegal Action

Currently
Len Deighton, Faith

Presently
Len Deighton, Hope
Len Deighton, Charity
Byeh?*

*Options include, but are not limited to: Tinker, Tailor, Solder, Spy by John le Carré, Driven to Ink by Karen E. Olson, Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds, & Darth Bane: Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn, a gift from Ska Army.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day
The Best Week Ever, "Unforgettable" via iTunes (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: Bonne chance, Lacey.

Sonntag, 20 März
John Barry & Tom Jones, "Thunderball (Main Title)" via iTunes (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: I own the D.V.D. of the motion picture Thunderball. I have read Ian Fleming's novel Thunderball. K. Steeze & I use THUNDERBALL as a placeholder whenever we have not yet named a character. But after this weekend, the word "Thunderball" will forever have an altogether different meaning to me. Details to follow in the forthcoming, long overdue "Master Debating" post.

"He always runs, while others walk,
He acts, while other men just talk,
He looks at this world and wants it all,
So he strikes… like Thunderball!

He knows the meaning of success,
His needs are more; so, he gives less,
They call him the winner who takes all,
And he strikes… like Thunderball!

Any woman he wants he'll get,
He will break any heart without regret,
His days of asking are all gone,
His fight goes on and on and on,
But he thinks that the fight is worth it all,
So he strikes… like Thunderball!"

Samstag, 19 März
Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get It On" from Motown 1's (T.L.A.M.)

Freitag, 18 März
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "The Victors" from Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: A thirty-point margin of victory. Conqu'ring heroes indeed.

Donnerstag, 17 März
Duran Duran, "Hungry Like the Wolf" from Take Me Home Tonight: Motion Picture Soundtrack (T.L.A.M.)