The Way of Shadows - Night Angel Trilogy
Author: Brent Weeks
Publisher: Orbit
I picked this book up on a slow day, and ended up putting it down several hours later. The plot cracks along at a fair pace and provides a few twists and turns along the way, and the inevitable cliffhanger that leaves you wanting to go out and read the next book in the series.
The characters are well enough rounded out with Kylar (the hero) and Durzo Blint (his master and trainer) and a supporting cast of .... well a few too many characters to be honest. I kept having to work out who was who among the more minor characters. But that is a minor defect in a fantastic story.
Kylar wants to be a wetboy and the only way he can do this is to apprentice himself to Durzo Blint the best and most experienced wetboy in the city. The reasons why he does this I'll leave for you to discover when you read the book, suffice to say that he gains more than he expects, loses more than he wants and cannot have what he always wanted.
Read it or he'll be round to pay you a visit.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Monday, 25 January 2010
Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
A good friend handed this book to me and said to give it a go. I did and I thouroughly enjoyed every minute. The book is aimed at teenagers, and adults who want a good solid read.
The heroine of the story, Katniss, is called to serve in the Hunger Games. This is an event where two people from each district are selected, at random, and placed in an arena covering many square miles until only one remains. The whole event is broadcast live to the 12 districts - shades of The Running Man - and fortunes are won and lost on the survival and death of contestants.
There are many philosophical questions that this book hints at and extrapolations, extreme admittedly, from the reality TV of today. You find yourself empathising with the characters and the ending, abrupt as it is, leaves you wanting the next book in this trilogy.
I give this a solid two thumbs up.
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
A good friend handed this book to me and said to give it a go. I did and I thouroughly enjoyed every minute. The book is aimed at teenagers, and adults who want a good solid read.
The heroine of the story, Katniss, is called to serve in the Hunger Games. This is an event where two people from each district are selected, at random, and placed in an arena covering many square miles until only one remains. The whole event is broadcast live to the 12 districts - shades of The Running Man - and fortunes are won and lost on the survival and death of contestants.
There are many philosophical questions that this book hints at and extrapolations, extreme admittedly, from the reality TV of today. You find yourself empathising with the characters and the ending, abrupt as it is, leaves you wanting the next book in this trilogy.
I give this a solid two thumbs up.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
The Last Theorem - Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
The Last Theorem
Author(s): Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
From: CollinsVoyager
I snapped this book off the shelf and couldn't wait to get home to read it. You know how it is when one of your treasured authors 'springs' a book on you. I thought a bit of maths, some aliens hell bent on destroying Earth, the 'clueless' hero who finds himself - great. Well this turned out to be a bit of a letdown to be honest.
The premise is that the central character solved Fermats last theorem - in his head - mainly to stop himself going crazy - is then feted around the world - is wined and dined - and on and on and on.
You get to know Ranjit (the central character) well, his hopes, fears, dreams and concerns. The other characters are less well filled in and some are almost two dimensional caricatures (the Americans). The story angles around this man's life and the science fiction side is crammed into the last few chapters. For a science fiction author (two of them) of such great standing this is strange to say the least.
Not one for the favourite shelf
Author(s): Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
From: CollinsVoyager
I snapped this book off the shelf and couldn't wait to get home to read it. You know how it is when one of your treasured authors 'springs' a book on you. I thought a bit of maths, some aliens hell bent on destroying Earth, the 'clueless' hero who finds himself - great. Well this turned out to be a bit of a letdown to be honest.
The premise is that the central character solved Fermats last theorem - in his head - mainly to stop himself going crazy - is then feted around the world - is wined and dined - and on and on and on.
You get to know Ranjit (the central character) well, his hopes, fears, dreams and concerns. The other characters are less well filled in and some are almost two dimensional caricatures (the Americans). The story angles around this man's life and the science fiction side is crammed into the last few chapters. For a science fiction author (two of them) of such great standing this is strange to say the least.
Not one for the favourite shelf
Friday, 11 December 2009
Without Remorse - Tom Clancy
Without Remorse
By: Tom Clancy
From: Harper Collins
This book is a kind of stand alone prequel, come introduction to the 'John Clark' of Rainbow Six. Set at the time of the Vietnam war, we follow John on a voyage of revenge after drug dealers kill and mutilate his girlfriend.
The only problem, if that is what it is, I have with this book is that most of the scenes seem altogether too plausible. If someone with just enough training is pushed to the point where, when no-one will help and the only way to satisfaction is to do it yourself, they set out to seek revenge on their taunting opposition.
The bad guys are slightly cariacatured as the the hard pressed police officers, but the stereotypes stand up well.
This book is not as fast paced as some of Tom Clancy's other offerings, but this book offers you a chance to go behind a character and discover their motivation and history.
A solid read for a Tom Clancy fan. I liked it.
By: Tom Clancy
From: Harper Collins
This book is a kind of stand alone prequel, come introduction to the 'John Clark' of Rainbow Six. Set at the time of the Vietnam war, we follow John on a voyage of revenge after drug dealers kill and mutilate his girlfriend.
The only problem, if that is what it is, I have with this book is that most of the scenes seem altogether too plausible. If someone with just enough training is pushed to the point where, when no-one will help and the only way to satisfaction is to do it yourself, they set out to seek revenge on their taunting opposition.
The bad guys are slightly cariacatured as the the hard pressed police officers, but the stereotypes stand up well.
This book is not as fast paced as some of Tom Clancy's other offerings, but this book offers you a chance to go behind a character and discover their motivation and history.
A solid read for a Tom Clancy fan. I liked it.
Friday, 9 October 2009
Trial By Fire - Harold Coyle
Trial By Fire
By: Harold Coyle
From: Pocket Books
Now I'm not the most gung-ho of types, but this is definitely a macho book. The lead character may be female (or one of the lead characters is) but testosterone leaks off the pages.
While being a work of fiction, it does, in this slightly contrived case, show how attitudes and perceptions shape the decisions we make.
When the government of Mexico is overthrown, the United States begins diplomatic negotiations with the country's new government. Criminal elements would prefer to have the old regieme back to commence attacks on civilians to force the U.S. into war. The ante is upped time and again, with atrocities and calamities on all sides.
The ending, as with most, is a letdown, kind of like hitting the ground after floating down on a parachute.
I liked this book and would recommend you read it.
By: Harold Coyle
From: Pocket Books
Now I'm not the most gung-ho of types, but this is definitely a macho book. The lead character may be female (or one of the lead characters is) but testosterone leaks off the pages.
While being a work of fiction, it does, in this slightly contrived case, show how attitudes and perceptions shape the decisions we make.
When the government of Mexico is overthrown, the United States begins diplomatic negotiations with the country's new government. Criminal elements would prefer to have the old regieme back to commence attacks on civilians to force the U.S. into war. The ante is upped time and again, with atrocities and calamities on all sides.
The ending, as with most, is a letdown, kind of like hitting the ground after floating down on a parachute.
I liked this book and would recommend you read it.
Monday, 20 July 2009
The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code
By: Dan Brown
From: Corgi
A cracking good read - not a total stretch or something that will go down as a future classic, just a good solid read. Mainly based on assertations made in several books, this story is the lumping together of all of these stories into one cohesive conspiracy.
This is a cliffhanger book, not fact or accuracy. There is literary licence taken, forgiveable in this case, to keep the story moving. Each chapter is designed to draw you deeper into the story making it un-put-downable.
The characters are somewhat poster-like in their two-dimensionality. The baddies are, well especially bad and you root solidly for the good guys.
The film of the same name based on this book does not do the story justice - it is accurate - it just lacks the character, if it is possible, that the book has.
By: Dan Brown
From: Corgi
A cracking good read - not a total stretch or something that will go down as a future classic, just a good solid read. Mainly based on assertations made in several books, this story is the lumping together of all of these stories into one cohesive conspiracy.
This is a cliffhanger book, not fact or accuracy. There is literary licence taken, forgiveable in this case, to keep the story moving. Each chapter is designed to draw you deeper into the story making it un-put-downable.
The characters are somewhat poster-like in their two-dimensionality. The baddies are, well especially bad and you root solidly for the good guys.
The film of the same name based on this book does not do the story justice - it is accurate - it just lacks the character, if it is possible, that the book has.
Thursday, 9 July 2009
1633
1633
By: David Weber & Eric Flint
From: Baen
This is one for the die hard fans of alternate-history-time-travel type stories. The story (1633) focusses on events in and around the thirty years war in central Europe. THe first book 1632 was an introduction to the characters and their history and a lead in to this story. What Weber and Flint have done here is ground the story in some fairly brutal history. Obviously, as with all time travel stories, as soon as you change history all kinds of possibilities are opened up.
It is still grating that a union official can out-think some of the most devious, cruel and merciless minds in history, and still have time for romance. The casual acceptance of twentieth century morals, practises and norms by the 'native' population is an area that could have been handled better. Yes, I know the 'modern' age was kicking off then, but most peasants of the time would have been deeply suspicious and / or religious and I don't see them casually throwing all their upbringing away over the space of a few pages to be replaced with the new and improved model of democracy and casual acceptance of other religions used here.
But, to give credit, 1633 is a cracking read and will not disappoint fans of David Weber or Eric Flint.
By: David Weber & Eric Flint
From: Baen
This is one for the die hard fans of alternate-history-time-travel type stories. The story (1633) focusses on events in and around the thirty years war in central Europe. THe first book 1632 was an introduction to the characters and their history and a lead in to this story. What Weber and Flint have done here is ground the story in some fairly brutal history. Obviously, as with all time travel stories, as soon as you change history all kinds of possibilities are opened up.
It is still grating that a union official can out-think some of the most devious, cruel and merciless minds in history, and still have time for romance. The casual acceptance of twentieth century morals, practises and norms by the 'native' population is an area that could have been handled better. Yes, I know the 'modern' age was kicking off then, but most peasants of the time would have been deeply suspicious and / or religious and I don't see them casually throwing all their upbringing away over the space of a few pages to be replaced with the new and improved model of democracy and casual acceptance of other religions used here.
But, to give credit, 1633 is a cracking read and will not disappoint fans of David Weber or Eric Flint.
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