So after a pile of uni work had been completed and submitted I decided it was time to read something from my 'casual reads' line of books and so a book by TV and radio personality Danny Wallace was to be read.
Having read 'Yes Man' in the past, I made the correct assumption that this would be light but enjoyable.
Danny Wallace is a shy man who says things at the wrong time and accentually lets it slip that his friend (A) who shares a birthday with another friend (B) has bought a pricey present for B and that B should now buy something equally as expensive all resulting in a horrible outcome. Not something you'd expect to happen to someone who spent a year saying yes to everything, but it does and it's rarely pretty, hence Awkward.... In Awkward Situations for Men we are given a documentation of a year Mr. Wallace's life involving the previously mentioned situations along with minor celebs attending private parties, accidentally spitting on people's foreheads and arriving on time.
Being written by Danny Wallace, the book is funny, light-hearted and easy to read, perfect for that quick break in your studies. He's cheeky and cocky but not to the point of annoyance. To add to this the reader is often sat there thinking "Oh no, do NOT even THINK of going there!" yet he still does it, making the reader feel slightly better about themselves.
As the book continues, Mrs. Wallace becomes pregnant and Danny realises he has to grow up and switch beer for tonic water and normal carrots for organic carrots yet, inevitably, things go wrong and an awkward situation appears and when it does we can't help but laugh and feel slightly sorry for the poor man. Sometimes we can even connect with the situations and think to ourselves "Yep, I've done that."
I managed this book in just two sittings, something I haven't managed in a long time, and was worth the hours I lost, engrossed between the words. As a non-fiction writer, Danny Wallace is definitely one of my favourites. A well-recommended writer. If you can't get your hands on this book, have a look out for 'Yes Man'.
Overall rating: 4/5
Friday 18 November 2011
Tuesday 1 November 2011
A quick update
Hello readers,
As you may be able to see/tell, it's been a while since I reviewed a book or uploaded any writing onto my creative writing blog. I am still very much alive but just recently I've had very little motivation to read anything significant (short stories, to me, don't really need to be reviewed) and in Creative Writing/Story and Myth this year we've been planning a story rather than writing weekly pieces. I have written a feww small pieces which I would consider worthy of uploading, however, I've been lazy and not done so. Oops! I'll get those online soon (possibly).
I'm also working on writing up a strict timetable which, if kept to, will provide a significant amount of reading and writing. Additionally, a friend and I have been toying with the idea of a reviews site which will feature multiple reviews. Along with this I'm considering writing some pieces which focus on life in general and my personal views on things within it. This won't be to everyone's tastes but, to remain in context, that's life.
I'm still writing for appleuncovered.com so you can view my news articles and occasional reviews over there if you so wish. In the meantime, feel free to go back over previous reviews and assignments to experience my writer's voice.
For now, goodbye,
Pete
As you may be able to see/tell, it's been a while since I reviewed a book or uploaded any writing onto my creative writing blog. I am still very much alive but just recently I've had very little motivation to read anything significant (short stories, to me, don't really need to be reviewed) and in Creative Writing/Story and Myth this year we've been planning a story rather than writing weekly pieces. I have written a feww small pieces which I would consider worthy of uploading, however, I've been lazy and not done so. Oops! I'll get those online soon (possibly).
I'm also working on writing up a strict timetable which, if kept to, will provide a significant amount of reading and writing. Additionally, a friend and I have been toying with the idea of a reviews site which will feature multiple reviews. Along with this I'm considering writing some pieces which focus on life in general and my personal views on things within it. This won't be to everyone's tastes but, to remain in context, that's life.
I'm still writing for appleuncovered.com so you can view my news articles and occasional reviews over there if you so wish. In the meantime, feel free to go back over previous reviews and assignments to experience my writer's voice.
For now, goodbye,
Pete
Sunday 2 October 2011
Bloody Valentine by James Patterson [Quick read]
James Patterson's 'Bloody Valentine' is one of those books which can be read in a couple of hours but still has an impact on the reader and costs just 25p from a charity shop. It's a dark tale of murder, mystery and rich people.
Jack and Zee Barnes are a couple who have everything they want and need and more: a family, a large house, a thriving business and a baby on the way. So, when a violent and shocking murder occurs, the shit inevitably hits the fan.
Although slightly longer than a kids' book and readable in one session, this mini novel slash short story truly hits the spot, especially when it comes to horror crime.
I read this book today as I was slightly bored with uni work and wanted to fade into another world for a short while and this was and is the short book in my line of books sat on the floor currently. It's well written with shocking and graphic descriptions, mystery which keeps you guessing and an unexpected ending. However, I didn't find that it scared me in any way. Saying that, you and I shouldn't be surprised seeing as I've read a large amount of horror and appear to immune to such.
As a final comment I will say that when I have the time I shall be picking up another of James Patterson's novels which I believe I own.
Book number three of the R.I.P. reading challenge complete with an overall rating of 4/5
Jack and Zee Barnes are a couple who have everything they want and need and more: a family, a large house, a thriving business and a baby on the way. So, when a violent and shocking murder occurs, the shit inevitably hits the fan.
Although slightly longer than a kids' book and readable in one session, this mini novel slash short story truly hits the spot, especially when it comes to horror crime.
I read this book today as I was slightly bored with uni work and wanted to fade into another world for a short while and this was and is the short book in my line of books sat on the floor currently. It's well written with shocking and graphic descriptions, mystery which keeps you guessing and an unexpected ending. However, I didn't find that it scared me in any way. Saying that, you and I shouldn't be surprised seeing as I've read a large amount of horror and appear to immune to such.
As a final comment I will say that when I have the time I shall be picking up another of James Patterson's novels which I believe I own.
Book number three of the R.I.P. reading challenge complete with an overall rating of 4/5
Location:London,United Kingdom
Saturday 24 September 2011
Slugs by Shaun Hutson
Book two of the R.I.P. reading challenge is Shaun Hutson's debut novel "Slugs" - a gripping tale of what happens when eight-inch-long slugs begin attacking the London town of Merton.
It starts with the mysterious death of an unemployed man about to be kicked out of his home and continues with London citizens being killed in some very gruesome and unimaginable ways.
That's until 2 council workers and naturist figure out what's causing the deaths and how to get rid of it.
But there's an epilogue...
As a debut novel this book is extremely disturbing and a good cause of toe-curling and the realisation that there's always someone off worse than you. By using slugs, the fear or disgust is increased as they're nothing compared to snails or frogs. Long, fat, black lumps which slither along the ground, leaving a thick slime trail behind them in search for human flesh and blood.
I would have read this book a lot quicker than the 10 or 11 days it took but I've been so busy with moving and uni that I haven't had the chance to sit down properly. Like most of Shaun Hutson's novels this would usually be a very fast read at only 200 pages but, for the aforementioned reasons, it wasn't to be.
Now that I'm back at uni I won't have much time to do some casual reading so I may have to risk saying that this is the last book of the R.I.P. challenge unless I count I Am Legend, Children of Men, Frankenstein and Paradise Lost book 4 as horror and treat them as casual reading also. Reviews of all four will follow in the next few weeks.
Overall rating: 4/5
It starts with the mysterious death of an unemployed man about to be kicked out of his home and continues with London citizens being killed in some very gruesome and unimaginable ways.
That's until 2 council workers and naturist figure out what's causing the deaths and how to get rid of it.
But there's an epilogue...
As a debut novel this book is extremely disturbing and a good cause of toe-curling and the realisation that there's always someone off worse than you. By using slugs, the fear or disgust is increased as they're nothing compared to snails or frogs. Long, fat, black lumps which slither along the ground, leaving a thick slime trail behind them in search for human flesh and blood.
I would have read this book a lot quicker than the 10 or 11 days it took but I've been so busy with moving and uni that I haven't had the chance to sit down properly. Like most of Shaun Hutson's novels this would usually be a very fast read at only 200 pages but, for the aforementioned reasons, it wasn't to be.
Now that I'm back at uni I won't have much time to do some casual reading so I may have to risk saying that this is the last book of the R.I.P. challenge unless I count I Am Legend, Children of Men, Frankenstein and Paradise Lost book 4 as horror and treat them as casual reading also. Reviews of all four will follow in the next few weeks.
Overall rating: 4/5
Location:Kempton Rd,Stratford,United Kingdom
Sunday 11 September 2011
Zombie Apocalypse! by Stephen Jones
Zombie Apocalypse! is set in a time when the pride of Britain has withered and needs to be restored and so the New Festival of Britain is announced and excavations begin.
With those excavations, however, come consequences. As the builders open a tomb which contains the corpses of victims of a previous plagues they let the disease into the air, thus spreading it.
Told through a series of diary entries, letters, blogs and videos we're shown how the disease spreads and infects the planet.
Despite being very standard to the zombie genre, Zombie Apocalypse! is a decent book and another written in a style I've not read before. On the odd occasion it travels slowly, lacking much of interest, but it soon catches up.
For the first book on the RIP challenge this was a good one receiving a total rating on 4/5
With those excavations, however, come consequences. As the builders open a tomb which contains the corpses of victims of a previous plagues they let the disease into the air, thus spreading it.
Told through a series of diary entries, letters, blogs and videos we're shown how the disease spreads and infects the planet.
Despite being very standard to the zombie genre, Zombie Apocalypse! is a decent book and another written in a style I've not read before. On the odd occasion it travels slowly, lacking much of interest, but it soon catches up.
For the first book on the RIP challenge this was a good one receiving a total rating on 4/5
Sunday 4 September 2011
2 months of horror and Shaun Hutson? Yes please
So I was just browsing the Interwebz for book review sites and came across the R.I.P. Challenge in which readers have to read just horror/thriller etc in the Autumn months and build-up to Halloween.
Fun stuff which means I may have to put back a few bits and pieces I was planning to read and get all those Hutson books read.
I'll be going for Peril the First - 4 books, but knowing me it'll be more. I've got some Stephen Kings too which I'll have a go at. It'll also be my first book challenge. Insignificant but true.
There might be some cheeky non-fiction about but we'll see.
Till then, see ya!
Fun stuff which means I may have to put back a few bits and pieces I was planning to read and get all those Hutson books read.
I'll be going for Peril the First - 4 books, but knowing me it'll be more. I've got some Stephen Kings too which I'll have a go at. It'll also be my first book challenge. Insignificant but true.
There might be some cheeky non-fiction about but we'll see.
Till then, see ya!
Location:Chelmsford, United Kingdom
Tuesday 30 August 2011
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
Ah, Bridget Jones, the epitome of feminist, bad-with-men-woman and food/drink intake obsessive. Bridget Jones is a 30something career-girl who is unable to settle with a man, has a gay best friend (hag-fag) and records every unit of alcohol, every calorie and every cigarette she consumes each day.
The book (or woman) is an example of a (then) modern-day career-girl. Throughout one year, Bridget Jones juggles her jobs, friends, men, cooking and crazed mum while trying to maintain a Zen-state. And failing, with humorous consequences including bad choice of clothing (not that I'd know without reading this book), blue soup, hangovers from hell and a boss whom she is unable to stop falling for. It's all good though, because it makes a good read at the expense of others.
I've been a fan of the film adaptations for years and seen them way too many times so when I found this book in a charity shop it had to be bought and read ASAP (I'd been reading a book on the Manson murders but due to a broken radial head (aka outer elbow) I fancied something more upbeat). It's amusing, light-hearted, merry and worth the 75p I paid for it. Not forgetting that Bridget is almost the exact replica of my mum.
Although this book has a very similar storyline to the films, there are certain parts which were not added to the film and vice versa. Not that I was disappointed (although I do rather like the Darcy/Cleaver fight mid-film), after all, change/difference is good. I also liked that it was very much like Jane Austen's horrible novel Pride and Prejudice as it gave me a basic idea of the story.
Now, after much blabbering and jabbering on, what do I give the novelisation of one of my favourite films with some of my favourite actors?
4 out of 5 (and not because it's a favourite film)
The book (or woman) is an example of a (then) modern-day career-girl. Throughout one year, Bridget Jones juggles her jobs, friends, men, cooking and crazed mum while trying to maintain a Zen-state. And failing, with humorous consequences including bad choice of clothing (not that I'd know without reading this book), blue soup, hangovers from hell and a boss whom she is unable to stop falling for. It's all good though, because it makes a good read at the expense of others.
I've been a fan of the film adaptations for years and seen them way too many times so when I found this book in a charity shop it had to be bought and read ASAP (I'd been reading a book on the Manson murders but due to a broken radial head (aka outer elbow) I fancied something more upbeat). It's amusing, light-hearted, merry and worth the 75p I paid for it. Not forgetting that Bridget is almost the exact replica of my mum.
Although this book has a very similar storyline to the films, there are certain parts which were not added to the film and vice versa. Not that I was disappointed (although I do rather like the Darcy/Cleaver fight mid-film), after all, change/difference is good. I also liked that it was very much like Jane Austen's horrible novel Pride and Prejudice as it gave me a basic idea of the story.
Now, after much blabbering and jabbering on, what do I give the novelisation of one of my favourite films with some of my favourite actors?
4 out of 5 (and not because it's a favourite film)
Saturday 20 August 2011
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
You thought The Hangover situation was bad? Try this account for size.
A classic tale of drug/alcohol consumption and Gonzo journalism, Fear and Loathing is a story which every drug user and anybody interested in the effects of drugs should read.
The semi-fictitious account tells of Raoul Duke's journey to Las Vegas to find the "American Dream". What that is we don't know, but it's something which leads Duke to buying $200 worth of uppers, downers and other dangerous drugs and take a crazy weekend trip away with his 300 pound Samoan attorney.
Throughout, Duke and his attorney frequently munch on acid tabs, take a load of mescaline, drink/take heavy amounts of ether and even a drug which is made, partly, with human blood. All while attending a drugs and narcotics convention. Not forgetting trashing cars, racing up the Vegas strip and running from hotels without paying. How they survived, God only knows.
The writing in this book is sometimes slightly scrambled and tangent-y but it all adds to the nature of the story. Plus, it makes it look like it was written by a druggy. However, it was still a decent read which was another hard-to-put-down book and worth the amount of time I spent looking for it in charity book shops.
I've read and heard of a lot of drugs but some of the stuff described and listed in this book sounds impossible to exist. But, as this is an account by Thompson we're obliged to believe that they're real. Would I try them if the offer was there? I don't know fo' sho', but why not?
Fear and Loathing is a book which pays justice to the phrase "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" - the whole account is not something you'd want to casually tell your parents or friends about when you got home, jet lagged and still hungover.
A fast read and my sort of holiday which receives a rating of 4/5
A classic tale of drug/alcohol consumption and Gonzo journalism, Fear and Loathing is a story which every drug user and anybody interested in the effects of drugs should read.
The semi-fictitious account tells of Raoul Duke's journey to Las Vegas to find the "American Dream". What that is we don't know, but it's something which leads Duke to buying $200 worth of uppers, downers and other dangerous drugs and take a crazy weekend trip away with his 300 pound Samoan attorney.
Throughout, Duke and his attorney frequently munch on acid tabs, take a load of mescaline, drink/take heavy amounts of ether and even a drug which is made, partly, with human blood. All while attending a drugs and narcotics convention. Not forgetting trashing cars, racing up the Vegas strip and running from hotels without paying. How they survived, God only knows.
The writing in this book is sometimes slightly scrambled and tangent-y but it all adds to the nature of the story. Plus, it makes it look like it was written by a druggy. However, it was still a decent read which was another hard-to-put-down book and worth the amount of time I spent looking for it in charity book shops.
I've read and heard of a lot of drugs but some of the stuff described and listed in this book sounds impossible to exist. But, as this is an account by Thompson we're obliged to believe that they're real. Would I try them if the offer was there? I don't know fo' sho', but why not?
Fear and Loathing is a book which pays justice to the phrase "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" - the whole account is not something you'd want to casually tell your parents or friends about when you got home, jet lagged and still hungover.
A fast read and my sort of holiday which receives a rating of 4/5
Wednesday 17 August 2011
The McAtrix Derided by Robertski Brothers
"A parody ... Or is that just what THEY want you to think?"
The McAtrix Derided is, as one would expect, a parody of the film series/franchise The Matrix. It follows a similar concept of being plugged into a machine, fighting the bad guys and a future world.
It's a simple book with scenes you'd find in a crime novel except dumbed down with the characters fighting by flapping their arms, kicking enemies down with the Can-Can and a Frurnchman [sic].
The McAtrix follows all the concepts within the Matrix but makes them funny and actually worth reading (much unlike the Matrix sequels).
Throughout the book you'll more than likely notice a lot cultural and social references with quotes like "You want to kill Bill", "Lots of Peaugeot 308s" and "I'm going to have to press you ... I really need your decision now" (I can't remember where (I've heard this quote but it, or very similar, has been on some recent trash TV). We can't forget the War of the Worlds (English version, not the Hollywood crap) destruction and references to H.G. Wells (author of WOTW).
For a parody it's well written and easy to follow, lacking any pointless plots. It also sticks pretty close to the actual Matrix film(s) with characters' names being modified only slightly except it's set in London (this meant I knew of some of the areas it spoke of - I was even on the way to one of them whilst reading it).
I don't really have any complaints on this book; it was a read which was a good escape, not too heavy and amusing. 4/5
The McAtrix Derided is, as one would expect, a parody of the film series/franchise The Matrix. It follows a similar concept of being plugged into a machine, fighting the bad guys and a future world.
It's a simple book with scenes you'd find in a crime novel except dumbed down with the characters fighting by flapping their arms, kicking enemies down with the Can-Can and a Frurnchman [sic].
The McAtrix follows all the concepts within the Matrix but makes them funny and actually worth reading (much unlike the Matrix sequels).
Throughout the book you'll more than likely notice a lot cultural and social references with quotes like "You want to kill Bill", "Lots of Peaugeot 308s" and "I'm going to have to press you ... I really need your decision now" (I can't remember where (I've heard this quote but it, or very similar, has been on some recent trash TV). We can't forget the War of the Worlds (English version, not the Hollywood crap) destruction and references to H.G. Wells (author of WOTW).
For a parody it's well written and easy to follow, lacking any pointless plots. It also sticks pretty close to the actual Matrix film(s) with characters' names being modified only slightly except it's set in London (this meant I knew of some of the areas it spoke of - I was even on the way to one of them whilst reading it).
I don't really have any complaints on this book; it was a read which was a good escape, not too heavy and amusing. 4/5
Saturday 6 August 2011
Blood Secrets by Craig Jones
I came across this book in a charity bookshop (where else do I buy my books these days?) and simply HAD to buy it due to the publisher's request printed on the back: "Under no circumstances should you reveal the plot of this book to anyone" and a short blurb of "It starts with a murder. Then the evil REALLY begins."
Although I'm unable to reveal the plot, I can give a brief description of the book
Irene is a young and successful university student who has everything going for her when, unexpectedly, she meets kooky Frank - a slightly odd, not-too-handsome history major. What follows is a whirlwind romance-cum-marriage, a child and the suburban lifestyle until Frank starts acting strange.
Beyond that, the reader is left guessing what will happen next (and usually getting it wrong) and, when you think you've got it sussed, something new happens and you're back to guessing square one.
It's a mixture of suspense, shock, horror, gothic and psychological mind-fucks which is impossible to put down until you've read the words "The End".
This is a fantastic read which is strangely and unfortunately out of print now with an author who appears to not even exist: Having spent quite some time online trying to find even the slightest piece of info about Craig Jones, I've come to the conclusion that it must be a pseudonym or that he simply wrote a couple of books and didn't want anybody to know who he was or is (the Internet wasn't exactly mainstream in 1978 so it wasn't too hard to keep a low profile).
I can, however, safely repeat what others have said and tell you that I won't be forgetting this book any time soon, I'll be re-reading it sometime and that it's level with Victims by Shaun Hutson (reviewed previously).
This little masterpiece gets a 5/5 rating from me.
Although I'm unable to reveal the plot, I can give a brief description of the book
Irene is a young and successful university student who has everything going for her when, unexpectedly, she meets kooky Frank - a slightly odd, not-too-handsome history major. What follows is a whirlwind romance-cum-marriage, a child and the suburban lifestyle until Frank starts acting strange.
Beyond that, the reader is left guessing what will happen next (and usually getting it wrong) and, when you think you've got it sussed, something new happens and you're back to guessing square one.
It's a mixture of suspense, shock, horror, gothic and psychological mind-fucks which is impossible to put down until you've read the words "The End".
This is a fantastic read which is strangely and unfortunately out of print now with an author who appears to not even exist: Having spent quite some time online trying to find even the slightest piece of info about Craig Jones, I've come to the conclusion that it must be a pseudonym or that he simply wrote a couple of books and didn't want anybody to know who he was or is (the Internet wasn't exactly mainstream in 1978 so it wasn't too hard to keep a low profile).
I can, however, safely repeat what others have said and tell you that I won't be forgetting this book any time soon, I'll be re-reading it sometime and that it's level with Victims by Shaun Hutson (reviewed previously).
This little masterpiece gets a 5/5 rating from me.
Victims by Shaun Hutson
Another gruesome novel from the psychotic writer Shaun Hutson has been read and now reviewed for your pleasure.
Victims tells of an effects man who, after having an eye transplant, is able to see who is next on the killing list of a maniacal killer, copying the methods of previous, legendary killers. As more people are killed, the fx man is forced to work with the police and is dragged into obsession.
Fast-paced, gory and filled with mystery and suspense, Victims is the perfect horror novel and, so far, the best I've read (And I've read a lot). You can't go past 5 pages without curling your toes at the in-depth descriptions of gore which is the way I like my words to be.
The book was a fast read, finished in three sessions but the content makes up for the shortness. Hutson's chapter construction is interesting also with the book having chapters of only 4 pages max along with titled ones which tell the story of a child making a discovery.
Throughout the book you'll be thinking you've solved a question but you may just be wrong.
Victims is possibly my book of the year and deserves a 5 out of 5 mark. Nice work, Shaun.
Victims tells of an effects man who, after having an eye transplant, is able to see who is next on the killing list of a maniacal killer, copying the methods of previous, legendary killers. As more people are killed, the fx man is forced to work with the police and is dragged into obsession.
Fast-paced, gory and filled with mystery and suspense, Victims is the perfect horror novel and, so far, the best I've read (And I've read a lot). You can't go past 5 pages without curling your toes at the in-depth descriptions of gore which is the way I like my words to be.
The book was a fast read, finished in three sessions but the content makes up for the shortness. Hutson's chapter construction is interesting also with the book having chapters of only 4 pages max along with titled ones which tell the story of a child making a discovery.
Throughout the book you'll be thinking you've solved a question but you may just be wrong.
Victims is possibly my book of the year and deserves a 5 out of 5 mark. Nice work, Shaun.
Sunday 17 July 2011
Carrie by Stephen King
Yep, it's another Stephen King novel. This time it's his very first (published) one which was released in 1974 and made into a film two years later.
The book focuses on an outcast school girl called Carrie who possesses telekinetic powers. She also possesses a hugely religious mother and is a scapegoat for the school bullies. However, after accepting an invitation to the school prom from one of the most popular boys in the year, things start to look up. Until the bloody finale, of course.
I'd seen the film loads of times before reading the book so I kind of knew what to expect but I also knew the book would be different. However, I didn't expect it to be this different.
The book is written in the style of a collection of newspaper cuttings, interviews, biographical book sections and telephone recordings which is a style I've not experienced/read before.
Most of the film content leading up to the prom is almost the same as the book, once the prom has started, however, the book is much different with a lot more death, destruction and horror. As Carrie strolls through the streets in the book, there is more action than just the flipping of a car. The deaths of certain characters are also very different to the film version.
This was a book which would have been a lot more shocking if I didn't know what was coming but still had a creepy factor to it
Carrie was another one of those books which I found hard to put down and was finished in three or four days (it could have been less but I'm a busy man these days) and was worth the £2 I paid for it in a charity shop (although I recently found that I actually happen to already own the book).
If there's anyone out there wanting to read some Stephen King I'd say start with Carrie as it's fairly short at 270-odd pages and nowhere near as intimidating as It.
Total rating 4/5
The book focuses on an outcast school girl called Carrie who possesses telekinetic powers. She also possesses a hugely religious mother and is a scapegoat for the school bullies. However, after accepting an invitation to the school prom from one of the most popular boys in the year, things start to look up. Until the bloody finale, of course.
I'd seen the film loads of times before reading the book so I kind of knew what to expect but I also knew the book would be different. However, I didn't expect it to be this different.
The book is written in the style of a collection of newspaper cuttings, interviews, biographical book sections and telephone recordings which is a style I've not experienced/read before.
Most of the film content leading up to the prom is almost the same as the book, once the prom has started, however, the book is much different with a lot more death, destruction and horror. As Carrie strolls through the streets in the book, there is more action than just the flipping of a car. The deaths of certain characters are also very different to the film version.
This was a book which would have been a lot more shocking if I didn't know what was coming but still had a creepy factor to it
Carrie was another one of those books which I found hard to put down and was finished in three or four days (it could have been less but I'm a busy man these days) and was worth the £2 I paid for it in a charity shop (although I recently found that I actually happen to already own the book).
If there's anyone out there wanting to read some Stephen King I'd say start with Carrie as it's fairly short at 270-odd pages and nowhere near as intimidating as It.
Total rating 4/5
Thursday 7 July 2011
The Executor by Jesse Kellerman
Another excellent book picked up in Poundland (I'm noticing a pattern here - all of the best books I've read recently have come from Poundland. Interesting.) written by the best selling author of The Brutal Art.
The book tells of a man who has recently been kicked out by his girlfriend and, when looking for a job so he can move off of his friend's couch, he answers a newspaper ad looking for a "Conversationalist".
He gets the job and as they become good friends he is offered a place in the huge house free of charge. Everything seems to be going perfectly well until the son of the woman appears on the scene.
The book is fast-paced, well-written and almost impossible to put down which is something I haven't felt to a book for a long time. It has some strange bits throughout and others where you want the character to stop worrying but other than that it's a book which kept me awake until the early hours because I didn't want to wait to find out what happened in the next chapter.
It's filled with twists and turns with a surprise middle and ending which you won't have anticipated at all. It has its jaw-dropping moments and, in my opinion, not a slow page throughout.
Due to the writer having gained a degree at Harvard and lived in the areas which the story is based, it is much more realistic than had it been written by someone who has never been to America. Along with this he also points out how distracting the Internet can be and doesn't exaggerate at all, writing it how it is. so to speak.
If you're into crime or thriller then this is a book you'll want to pick up when you next see it in Poundland. Failing that, it'll probably be in one of those expensive bookshop places.
One more annoying thing in this book was the lack of question marks. When a question was asked, it was finished with a full stop. Although I could understand that it was a question, this little thing got under my skin a bit.
Overall rating: 4/5 (Would be 5 if he hadn't been so worrisome at times.
PS: I've figured why I'm finding all these decent books which were written not so long ago (this was published in 2010): Imperfections. A slight stain in some pages, a creased cover etc.
The book tells of a man who has recently been kicked out by his girlfriend and, when looking for a job so he can move off of his friend's couch, he answers a newspaper ad looking for a "Conversationalist".
He gets the job and as they become good friends he is offered a place in the huge house free of charge. Everything seems to be going perfectly well until the son of the woman appears on the scene.
The book is fast-paced, well-written and almost impossible to put down which is something I haven't felt to a book for a long time. It has some strange bits throughout and others where you want the character to stop worrying but other than that it's a book which kept me awake until the early hours because I didn't want to wait to find out what happened in the next chapter.
It's filled with twists and turns with a surprise middle and ending which you won't have anticipated at all. It has its jaw-dropping moments and, in my opinion, not a slow page throughout.
Due to the writer having gained a degree at Harvard and lived in the areas which the story is based, it is much more realistic than had it been written by someone who has never been to America. Along with this he also points out how distracting the Internet can be and doesn't exaggerate at all, writing it how it is. so to speak.
If you're into crime or thriller then this is a book you'll want to pick up when you next see it in Poundland. Failing that, it'll probably be in one of those expensive bookshop places.
One more annoying thing in this book was the lack of question marks. When a question was asked, it was finished with a full stop. Although I could understand that it was a question, this little thing got under my skin a bit.
Overall rating: 4/5 (Would be 5 if he hadn't been so worrisome at times.
PS: I've figured why I'm finding all these decent books which were written not so long ago (this was published in 2010): Imperfections. A slight stain in some pages, a creased cover etc.
Monday 4 July 2011
The Green Mile by Stephen King
So, I said I need to start reading books again and reading I have done. This time it was Stephen King's 1996 drama/fantasy/thriller the Green Mile, and what a book it was.
WARNING: Spoilers follow
The story tells of a giant who is convicted for killing two children who, the guards soon find out, has some sort of God-like healing power. Throughout the book the man displays this healing power which causes some characters to have second thoughts about who committed the crime which John Coffey the giant is on death row for.
The book is written from the memory of Paul Edgecombe (played by Tom Hanks in the film of the same name) from the old peoples' home in which he now lives/d. It tells the story of Paul in the death row block in 1932 but is written by him in the year of publication: 1996.
Reading through the story you/the reader feel/s sort of emotional towards the characters as King manages to write with description and in a way that makes them seem real, like the story really happened. Sort of in a biographical way, if you will.
This is definitely one of Stephen King's better books out of the seemingly hundreds he's written and the few I've read and definitely one people who are into fantasy and thriller mixed should pick up. It's a thick book at almost 500 pages but not that hard a read. A good one for a first-time reader of Stephen King.
I don't know if I'll be reading this again any time soon (I have a HUGE pile to read yet, including more Stephen King) but I might pick it up in a year or so as I tend to do with Simon Kernick books. We'll see but in the meantime I'll give this book a rare 5 out of 5 and a BIG recommendation to anyone who reads.
Coming next: I have no idea, need to select something out of 1000+ books.
WARNING: Spoilers follow
The story tells of a giant who is convicted for killing two children who, the guards soon find out, has some sort of God-like healing power. Throughout the book the man displays this healing power which causes some characters to have second thoughts about who committed the crime which John Coffey the giant is on death row for.
The book is written from the memory of Paul Edgecombe (played by Tom Hanks in the film of the same name) from the old peoples' home in which he now lives/d. It tells the story of Paul in the death row block in 1932 but is written by him in the year of publication: 1996.
Reading through the story you/the reader feel/s sort of emotional towards the characters as King manages to write with description and in a way that makes them seem real, like the story really happened. Sort of in a biographical way, if you will.
This is definitely one of Stephen King's better books out of the seemingly hundreds he's written and the few I've read and definitely one people who are into fantasy and thriller mixed should pick up. It's a thick book at almost 500 pages but not that hard a read. A good one for a first-time reader of Stephen King.
I don't know if I'll be reading this again any time soon (I have a HUGE pile to read yet, including more Stephen King) but I might pick it up in a year or so as I tend to do with Simon Kernick books. We'll see but in the meantime I'll give this book a rare 5 out of 5 and a BIG recommendation to anyone who reads.
Coming next: I have no idea, need to select something out of 1000+ books.
Thursday 30 June 2011
I *really* need to start reading again
Title says it all really. I haven't sat down with a book and read properly for months. I've had a lot of time on my hands but I've spent it either partying, writing (I've got a decent long-term writing job now) or hanging out with friends.
I'm currently reading The Green Mile so a review of that will be up soon and I've got six books to read for my next uni year (if I get to return, that is) so hopefully I'll get back into reading soon. I also picked up 5 books yesterday including "Carrie", one of my favourite films. Alongside this I have a huge pile of unread books and about 1600 unread on my e-reader so I have no excuse really. Shame on me.
In my defence though, this writing job can take up a lot of time due to research and the weather has recently been beautiful. causing me to want to be out in it, strolling around and being active. Maybe I should just remember to actually take a book out with me each time I leave the house.
Give it a few days though and a new review should be up which will hopefully remain consistent. We'll see.
Until then, peace!
I'm currently reading The Green Mile so a review of that will be up soon and I've got six books to read for my next uni year (if I get to return, that is) so hopefully I'll get back into reading soon. I also picked up 5 books yesterday including "Carrie", one of my favourite films. Alongside this I have a huge pile of unread books and about 1600 unread on my e-reader so I have no excuse really. Shame on me.
In my defence though, this writing job can take up a lot of time due to research and the weather has recently been beautiful. causing me to want to be out in it, strolling around and being active. Maybe I should just remember to actually take a book out with me each time I leave the house.
Give it a few days though and a new review should be up which will hopefully remain consistent. We'll see.
Until then, peace!
Saturday 16 April 2011
I am Legend by Richard Matheson
Now this was quite a book. And one which, although sharing its name, is not much like the film.Those who has seen the film of the same name starring Will Smith will know that the story features a post-apocalyptic plague which has turned all humans into creatures allergic to sunlight and thirsty for blood.
These two vampiric concepts are pretty much the only ones which follow the book other than the protagonist called Robert Neville who is locked up in his own house and is immune to the virus.
So what does the book tell us?
A strange germ has formed which, once it is inside the human bloodstream, turns said human into a blood sucking vampire (the genuine term used in the book) which is also allergic to sunlight, lives in the dark/comes out at night and will do anything to kill that human. In the book, however, the vampires are able to speak.
Robert Neville is immune to the germ (we find out how later on in the book) and after losing his family, has little choice but to survive and research this germ.
We travel through three years of his life which includes flashbacks, alcoholism, experiments and a stray dog. Robert Neville is one of those characters who is just determined to find out what is happening, find other humans and live happily ever after. However, as with all thrillers, this doesn't exactly go to plan and Neville is pretty much "screwed" without already knowing it.
Although it took me 5 days to read the story, it was only really a short one of 96 pages. With this in mind, it should be said that the book needn't be any longer as it tells all we need to know.
Despite being loosely the same story, the book and film could hardly be compared and are generally two different vampire stories with the same name. That's not to say it should go a miss, especially if you like an easy read with "death, vampires and whiskey" (Copyright quote, 2011).
So, if you happen to come across I Am Legend anywhere, give it a read.
Overall rating: 4.5/5
These two vampiric concepts are pretty much the only ones which follow the book other than the protagonist called Robert Neville who is locked up in his own house and is immune to the virus.
So what does the book tell us?
A strange germ has formed which, once it is inside the human bloodstream, turns said human into a blood sucking vampire (the genuine term used in the book) which is also allergic to sunlight, lives in the dark/comes out at night and will do anything to kill that human. In the book, however, the vampires are able to speak.
Robert Neville is immune to the germ (we find out how later on in the book) and after losing his family, has little choice but to survive and research this germ.
We travel through three years of his life which includes flashbacks, alcoholism, experiments and a stray dog. Robert Neville is one of those characters who is just determined to find out what is happening, find other humans and live happily ever after. However, as with all thrillers, this doesn't exactly go to plan and Neville is pretty much "screwed" without already knowing it.
Although it took me 5 days to read the story, it was only really a short one of 96 pages. With this in mind, it should be said that the book needn't be any longer as it tells all we need to know.
Despite being loosely the same story, the book and film could hardly be compared and are generally two different vampire stories with the same name. That's not to say it should go a miss, especially if you like an easy read with "death, vampires and whiskey" (Copyright quote, 2011).
So, if you happen to come across I Am Legend anywhere, give it a read.
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Saturday 9 April 2011
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
So I finally finished a book. And a pretty decent one it was too, albeit weird.
I picked up Metamorphosis from a library sometime last year along with The trial also by Kafka, but never opened it. However, now that it is one of the many books on my e-reader, I have easy and fast access to it.
So what is the book about? Well, the protagonist, Gregor, wakes up one morning to find that he's transformed into a bug. The story then tells of the next four months of how his family slowly start neglecting him and no longer want anything to do with him due to being this horrible greasy bug (which is never actually told of but the description makes it pretty obvious).
Being a very short book of only 50 pages, not a lot can be written about this book without spoiling it too much so I'll leave it there for the time being.
My opinionated thoughts on the book, however, are very positive. It may have been short and weird but I found it to be a good read.
I could have read it in a day but due to the beautiful London weather we've been having, reading has been one of the last of my worries, I've had more interest in making paper plate masks and playing football at 12 midnight, but that's an entirely different subject/story.
If you're looking for a quick read, Metamorphosis is a book I'd recommend picking up (Animal Farm is probably another but I haven't read that yet...). You could even pick it up if you're looking for a good read also. I have another Kafka book in my reader so that should be popping up in the future.
Although it was a good read I couldn't say it's one of my best reads.
Overall rating: 3/5
I picked up Metamorphosis from a library sometime last year along with The trial also by Kafka, but never opened it. However, now that it is one of the many books on my e-reader, I have easy and fast access to it.
So what is the book about? Well, the protagonist, Gregor, wakes up one morning to find that he's transformed into a bug. The story then tells of the next four months of how his family slowly start neglecting him and no longer want anything to do with him due to being this horrible greasy bug (which is never actually told of but the description makes it pretty obvious).
Being a very short book of only 50 pages, not a lot can be written about this book without spoiling it too much so I'll leave it there for the time being.
My opinionated thoughts on the book, however, are very positive. It may have been short and weird but I found it to be a good read.
I could have read it in a day but due to the beautiful London weather we've been having, reading has been one of the last of my worries, I've had more interest in making paper plate masks and playing football at 12 midnight, but that's an entirely different subject/story.
If you're looking for a quick read, Metamorphosis is a book I'd recommend picking up (Animal Farm is probably another but I haven't read that yet...). You could even pick it up if you're looking for a good read also. I have another Kafka book in my reader so that should be popping up in the future.
Although it was a good read I couldn't say it's one of my best reads.
Overall rating: 3/5
Saturday 26 March 2011
I really need to sit down with a book for leisure again
Funny, isn't it? I came to uni to study English Lit., thinking I'd be in with the chance of reading a shit load of books but it seems to have become quite the opposite.
I'm reading one book every two weeks if I'm lucky. The last full book I read was that of the Alchemist by H.P. Lovecraft although being ten pages long I don't know if it could even be called a book. A short story or novella if we're lucky.
In English we've been studying Jekyll and Hyde and writing a ridiculously annoying essay on it which has meant I've had my nose buried in nothing but academic teaching books for the past 10 days. Maybe that'll explain my not reading. Or maybe it's because I've got almost 2000 books on my e-reader and just can't decide on one to read right through as I come across more. Shameful really.
I think what I'll do is finish this article and email it off and then sit down with a book I took out of the library and read it right through. The title will be revealed when (if) I finish it.
[Inner note: Just checked my e-reader and been reminded I was reading a certain book on Friday which I'd forgotten about. Probably because I went to a party that night and woke up at 7:30 this (Saturday) evening.]
With the above note in mind, I'll make sure to finish that book (It's only 50 pages long) and also another which I'm about to start.
I must get into some sort of habit of reading more books.
That'll be all.
I'm reading one book every two weeks if I'm lucky. The last full book I read was that of the Alchemist by H.P. Lovecraft although being ten pages long I don't know if it could even be called a book. A short story or novella if we're lucky.
In English we've been studying Jekyll and Hyde and writing a ridiculously annoying essay on it which has meant I've had my nose buried in nothing but academic teaching books for the past 10 days. Maybe that'll explain my not reading. Or maybe it's because I've got almost 2000 books on my e-reader and just can't decide on one to read right through as I come across more. Shameful really.
I think what I'll do is finish this article and email it off and then sit down with a book I took out of the library and read it right through. The title will be revealed when (if) I finish it.
[Inner note: Just checked my e-reader and been reminded I was reading a certain book on Friday which I'd forgotten about. Probably because I went to a party that night and woke up at 7:30 this (Saturday) evening.]
With the above note in mind, I'll make sure to finish that book (It's only 50 pages long) and also another which I'm about to start.
I must get into some sort of habit of reading more books.
That'll be all.
Monday 7 March 2011
A Simples Life by Aleksandr Orlov
Written by everyone's favourite meerkat, A Simples Life is the autobiography is Aleksandr Orlov, a meerkat moved from Russia to continue running the family business of Compare the Meerkat (not to be confused with Compare the Market).
The book travels back to the 18th century in which Orlov's great-great-grandfather ran out of goods in the Kalahari desert and had no choice but to walk for weeks until he came across a form of transport to get him and his helper to safe land.
After finding a collection of paintings of meerkats, a descendant of Aleksandr decided to set up a market stall comparing meerkats. Despite the concept not working well, the meerkats persisted and, after much of this persistence, comparethemeerkat.shop was opened and a legacy was born.
Today we can't turn on the TV without getting at least one glimpse of the worlds most famous meerkat and despite it being an advert, I've still not read or heard the words "I'm sick of that pissing meerkat". We all love him and if the ad suddenly stopped, nobody would get excited about seeing a meerkat at the zoo.
Finished in just a sitting and a half this was a fairly short book but well worth the money which came off my bursary. Along with telling a life story, the book as entertaining, causer of laughs and included a load of amusing pictures. It would have been better if it was slightly longer though.
Total rating: 4/5
The book travels back to the 18th century in which Orlov's great-great-grandfather ran out of goods in the Kalahari desert and had no choice but to walk for weeks until he came across a form of transport to get him and his helper to safe land.
After finding a collection of paintings of meerkats, a descendant of Aleksandr decided to set up a market stall comparing meerkats. Despite the concept not working well, the meerkats persisted and, after much of this persistence, comparethemeerkat.shop was opened and a legacy was born.
Today we can't turn on the TV without getting at least one glimpse of the worlds most famous meerkat and despite it being an advert, I've still not read or heard the words "I'm sick of that pissing meerkat". We all love him and if the ad suddenly stopped, nobody would get excited about seeing a meerkat at the zoo.
Finished in just a sitting and a half this was a fairly short book but well worth the money which came off my bursary. Along with telling a life story, the book as entertaining, causer of laughs and included a load of amusing pictures. It would have been better if it was slightly longer though.
Total rating: 4/5
Friday 4 March 2011
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (e-book)
Everyone's favourite stoner Disney movie (why doesn't Google Chrome recognise this word?) now has a review on this blog.
For a story that began as an improvisation told to three children on a river trip, Alice in Wonderland is a very good book filled with sheesha-smoking caterpillars, permanently-smiling cats and mock/false turtles. Not forgetting a King and Queen of hearts and pelicans used for croquet mallets.
The story, of course, begins with Alice spotting a white rabbit in a waistcoat which runs down a rabbit hole and she just HAS to follow this curious rabbit, doesn't she?
What follows is a story of a girl who goes from standard size to mega-small to long-necked who explores this Wonderland of the aforementioned animals. She gets to hear stories of turtles who danced with lobsters, meet children who transform into pigs and a Cheshire cat which has the ability to appear and disappear upon its will.
As the story goes on, things just seem to get weirder until the climax in which Alice finds herself at a trial against an unnamed character which has written some strange verse when the full pack of cards rises into the air and falls onto her.
This was a book I'd wanted to read for some time, and when I found the free e-book of it, I felt obliged to download it.
Although this was originally told/written for children, I reckon adults would also take pleasure in reading such a story (Wikipedia does say that adults enjoy it also). It's like some sort of legal acid trip put into words (let's face it, when have you EVER seen a caterpillar sitting on a mushroom, puffing away on a hookah when sober?)
Certainly worth the 9kb and short amount of time it took to download, AIW is one for everyone. It also read very well on the e-reader. Download was legal as Carroll is now dead and copyright has since disappeared.
Total rating: 4 out of 5
Downloaded at: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/ where you can thousands of ebooks available to print, PDF and epub formats.
For a story that began as an improvisation told to three children on a river trip, Alice in Wonderland is a very good book filled with sheesha-smoking caterpillars, permanently-smiling cats and mock/false turtles. Not forgetting a King and Queen of hearts and pelicans used for croquet mallets.
The story, of course, begins with Alice spotting a white rabbit in a waistcoat which runs down a rabbit hole and she just HAS to follow this curious rabbit, doesn't she?
What follows is a story of a girl who goes from standard size to mega-small to long-necked who explores this Wonderland of the aforementioned animals. She gets to hear stories of turtles who danced with lobsters, meet children who transform into pigs and a Cheshire cat which has the ability to appear and disappear upon its will.
As the story goes on, things just seem to get weirder until the climax in which Alice finds herself at a trial against an unnamed character which has written some strange verse when the full pack of cards rises into the air and falls onto her.
This was a book I'd wanted to read for some time, and when I found the free e-book of it, I felt obliged to download it.
Although this was originally told/written for children, I reckon adults would also take pleasure in reading such a story (Wikipedia does say that adults enjoy it also). It's like some sort of legal acid trip put into words (let's face it, when have you EVER seen a caterpillar sitting on a mushroom, puffing away on a hookah when sober?)
Certainly worth the 9kb and short amount of time it took to download, AIW is one for everyone. It also read very well on the e-reader. Download was legal as Carroll is now dead and copyright has since disappeared.
Total rating: 4 out of 5
Downloaded at: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/ where you can thousands of ebooks available to print, PDF and epub formats.
Wednesday 2 March 2011
Review of the Sony PRS-350 Reader
As of around 12 midday today I own a Sony pocket e-reader. And, to be honest, I'm glad.
Although I do prefer proper books, I found myself spending a hell of a lot of the things, even on ones I could have downloaded for free.
After some research today looking for some Shakespeare for my course I came across the Adelaide University website which offers absolutely hundreds of free ebooks which has since lost their copyright and are therefore legally obtainable for free.
In the past hour I've downloaded over 200 books which, if put into cash could end up costing almost £400 - the price of 2 Sony e-readers. I now have a massive collection and I'm only on 'B'.
This e-reader was definitely a great purchase and although comfortable to read with and easy on the eyes (it uses the e-ink technology) I can't say it'll replace real books which I'll still be buying.
What I purchased for convenience to prevent having to carry around large amounts of books has since become an excellent purchase.
So, what is this e-reader like?
Well, as previously mentioned, it uses the recent e-ink technology which gives the feeling that I'm reading a real book. Reason for this is that the light doesn't distort or block out the text which means, excluding the brushed metal casing, a comfortable read.
It also has a large memory. As mentioned above, I have over 200 books stored on it already which has used up just 90mb approx of 1.5gb memory (one book is around 20kb in size). This obviously means I'll be able to carry around possibly 1000s of books at a time - a lot more than my uni bag or bookshelf will hold.
Book transfer works just like an iPod would - plug in the reader, install the reader library and drag and drop. You can even drag the books into a library ready for the next time you plug in the reader (although, rather than auto-update, you need to select the books from the library and drag them over to the reader - takes 2 seconds to do, though).
It's also an incredibly light piece of kit so it feel like you're holding less than a book when reading. Battery (apparently) lasts for 10,000 page turns, so if you fancy reading Ulysses 10 times, you don't even need to charge the thing once.
Sadly it doesn't come with a case or cover so they need to be purchased seperately but it does come boxed and wrapped in one of those foam bags which does a decent protective job.
Obviously this'll never feel or smell like a new or old book but it was a worthwhile purchase and maybe one which I should have done a long time ago. Oh, and it was also free on the UEL Progress Bursary :D
Now that I'm spoilt for books reviews should become frequent again.
Although I do prefer proper books, I found myself spending a hell of a lot of the things, even on ones I could have downloaded for free.
After some research today looking for some Shakespeare for my course I came across the Adelaide University website which offers absolutely hundreds of free ebooks which has since lost their copyright and are therefore legally obtainable for free.
In the past hour I've downloaded over 200 books which, if put into cash could end up costing almost £400 - the price of 2 Sony e-readers. I now have a massive collection and I'm only on 'B'.
This e-reader was definitely a great purchase and although comfortable to read with and easy on the eyes (it uses the e-ink technology) I can't say it'll replace real books which I'll still be buying.
What I purchased for convenience to prevent having to carry around large amounts of books has since become an excellent purchase.
So, what is this e-reader like?
Well, as previously mentioned, it uses the recent e-ink technology which gives the feeling that I'm reading a real book. Reason for this is that the light doesn't distort or block out the text which means, excluding the brushed metal casing, a comfortable read.
It also has a large memory. As mentioned above, I have over 200 books stored on it already which has used up just 90mb approx of 1.5gb memory (one book is around 20kb in size). This obviously means I'll be able to carry around possibly 1000s of books at a time - a lot more than my uni bag or bookshelf will hold.
Book transfer works just like an iPod would - plug in the reader, install the reader library and drag and drop. You can even drag the books into a library ready for the next time you plug in the reader (although, rather than auto-update, you need to select the books from the library and drag them over to the reader - takes 2 seconds to do, though).
It's also an incredibly light piece of kit so it feel like you're holding less than a book when reading. Battery (apparently) lasts for 10,000 page turns, so if you fancy reading Ulysses 10 times, you don't even need to charge the thing once.
Sadly it doesn't come with a case or cover so they need to be purchased seperately but it does come boxed and wrapped in one of those foam bags which does a decent protective job.
Obviously this'll never feel or smell like a new or old book but it was a worthwhile purchase and maybe one which I should have done a long time ago. Oh, and it was also free on the UEL Progress Bursary :D
Now that I'm spoilt for books reviews should become frequent again.
Friday 11 February 2011
I won't buy a kindle but...
Since the Kindle came out and everyone was banging on about it (even some of my lecturers who have been in this biz for however long) I decided I'm not going to get one for 3 reasons: 1) I dislike e-books anyway, 2) I don't fancy sitting on a train flashing a 150 quid piece of slate while I can get the same book in paperback for £2.50 and 3) I'm a person who prefers to not be like everyone else or one of those generics you see in the high street on a daily basis (i.e. I refuse to upgrade to a Blackberry or buy an iPhone and besides, after hours of research I discovered that my Nokia C3 does pretty much the same thing as a BB minus the messenger and I've not had 1 thing to dislike about it (apart from waking me up at 7 in the morning but that's UEL's fault really, not mine or the phone's).
A bit arrogant, yes, but oh well.
However(!), since starting uni I've been forced to buy a number of books which can cost well over a tenner sometimes and then having to remember which book to take to which lecture etc etc. Now, after a small bit of thought until my head started to hurt I thought it might just be easier and a bit cheaper to buy an e-reader from Asda priced at just £54. Okay, not a bit but one hundred big ones.
People go on about the Kindle using this e-ink which prevents the sun from not reflecting on the screen or some bollocks like that. Why not just block the beam with your hand?
So the Kindle has WiFi, a music player, Wikipedia, 3G (I still have no idea what that is yet everyone bangs on about it) and probably some sort of vending machine - pretty much what that thing in your pocket called a smartphone has. With this in mind, can't you help but wonder why someone would buy this piece of junk?
Rant over. Flame away.
A bit arrogant, yes, but oh well.
However(!), since starting uni I've been forced to buy a number of books which can cost well over a tenner sometimes and then having to remember which book to take to which lecture etc etc. Now, after a small bit of thought until my head started to hurt I thought it might just be easier and a bit cheaper to buy an e-reader from Asda priced at just £54. Okay, not a bit but one hundred big ones.
People go on about the Kindle using this e-ink which prevents the sun from not reflecting on the screen or some bollocks like that. Why not just block the beam with your hand?
So the Kindle has WiFi, a music player, Wikipedia, 3G (I still have no idea what that is yet everyone bangs on about it) and probably some sort of vending machine - pretty much what that thing in your pocket called a smartphone has. With this in mind, can't you help but wonder why someone would buy this piece of junk?
Rant over. Flame away.
Saturday 5 February 2011
Demian by Hermann Hesse
Another one of those rather strange books, the blurb on Hesse's Demian
"In Demian he (Hesse) chronicles with clear-sighted humanity the growth to maturity of Emil Sinclair, who falls under the influence of Max Demian, a strangely self-possessed figure. As Sinclair progresses through orthodox education and philosophical mysticism towards self-awareness, he always has the image of Demian before him - right up to the climatic moment of confrontation with destiny on a blood-drenched battlefield"
This was yet another book I mindlessly picked up off of the shelf and, attracted by the blurb, decided to take it out. And a good decision that was.
As the blurb reads, we are shown (in first-person narrative, of course) the events of Sinclair's life as he grows from a scared child into an adult. However, his life doesn't travel smoothly. He suffers from various -isms, meets strange people and wonders what's going on in his life.
This was quite a fast read with only 150 pages, but the small amount of pages managed to tell a large amount of story with twists, changes, happiness and sadness (no, I didn't cry!)
I currently have another Hesse book on my pile of loans which I only picked up for the name without checking the author so that'll be reviewed soon (hopefully).
With us now being at the end of the review (if you read this far), I'll be giving this book another 4 out of 5.
"In Demian he (Hesse) chronicles with clear-sighted humanity the growth to maturity of Emil Sinclair, who falls under the influence of Max Demian, a strangely self-possessed figure. As Sinclair progresses through orthodox education and philosophical mysticism towards self-awareness, he always has the image of Demian before him - right up to the climatic moment of confrontation with destiny on a blood-drenched battlefield"
This was yet another book I mindlessly picked up off of the shelf and, attracted by the blurb, decided to take it out. And a good decision that was.
As the blurb reads, we are shown (in first-person narrative, of course) the events of Sinclair's life as he grows from a scared child into an adult. However, his life doesn't travel smoothly. He suffers from various -isms, meets strange people and wonders what's going on in his life.
This was quite a fast read with only 150 pages, but the small amount of pages managed to tell a large amount of story with twists, changes, happiness and sadness (no, I didn't cry!)
I currently have another Hesse book on my pile of loans which I only picked up for the name without checking the author so that'll be reviewed soon (hopefully).
With us now being at the end of the review (if you read this far), I'll be giving this book another 4 out of 5.
Wednesday 2 February 2011
Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys
Firstly, apologies for not updating this blog recently, I was reading another book but due to it's deepness I needed a quick break and decided to read Good Morning, Midnight which was very short (150 pages) and quite a light read for it's time so it was a good 'clear the head' book.
Along with this I've been doing a lot of writing for a few websites and trying to sort a few things out.
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The main plot follows a week in the life of our protagonist who likes to call herself Sasha. Through the week she has work problems, man troubles and likes to drink a lot which usually results in her crying. In everyday life, Sasha is a person many people would find extremely annoying and be that person in the pub which you avoid. In Good Morning, Midnight however, I couldn't help but like Sasha.
Along with Sasha we have a few other characters including men who want to be with her, a weird man who lives next to her and another man who she seems to want to be with but chooses not to. Yeah, I was a bit confused here also.
Throughout the dialogue there were many phrases written/spoken in French which I didn't understand a word of. However, sometimes before or after this was said, another phrase was said which, when studying both, could have been the same phrase repeated in English. I guess I'll never know unless I spend hours researching.
When I picked this book up whilst browsing the library I didn't really know what to expect. I thought maybe I'd be reading a piece of trashy chick-lit but I was wrong. This book was on the edge of chick-lit but it also had class and a decent story worthy of being put onto the "literature" shelf in Oxfam. I get the feeling that I'll be reading some more of Jean Rhys' work in the future.
Put simply I'll have to say I really enjoyed this book and despite the protagonist being a person with man troubles, I feel that any changes may risk ruining the book. This one gets a 4 out of 5 from me.
Along with this I've been doing a lot of writing for a few websites and trying to sort a few things out.
---------------
The main plot follows a week in the life of our protagonist who likes to call herself Sasha. Through the week she has work problems, man troubles and likes to drink a lot which usually results in her crying. In everyday life, Sasha is a person many people would find extremely annoying and be that person in the pub which you avoid. In Good Morning, Midnight however, I couldn't help but like Sasha.
Along with Sasha we have a few other characters including men who want to be with her, a weird man who lives next to her and another man who she seems to want to be with but chooses not to. Yeah, I was a bit confused here also.
Throughout the dialogue there were many phrases written/spoken in French which I didn't understand a word of. However, sometimes before or after this was said, another phrase was said which, when studying both, could have been the same phrase repeated in English. I guess I'll never know unless I spend hours researching.
When I picked this book up whilst browsing the library I didn't really know what to expect. I thought maybe I'd be reading a piece of trashy chick-lit but I was wrong. This book was on the edge of chick-lit but it also had class and a decent story worthy of being put onto the "literature" shelf in Oxfam. I get the feeling that I'll be reading some more of Jean Rhys' work in the future.
Put simply I'll have to say I really enjoyed this book and despite the protagonist being a person with man troubles, I feel that any changes may risk ruining the book. This one gets a 4 out of 5 from me.
Monday 24 January 2011
Nirvana Bites by Debi Alper
A quick note here: I was reading Anne Rice's 'Interview With the Vampire' for 3 days but just couldn't get into it so I gave up on that one and cracked the spine of this book on Saturday night.
This is, yet again, another book I picked up in Poundland and another good yet light read.
Nirvana Bites is a book which is hard to put into any one category as it involves humour, crime, trash, weirdness and drugs so it's a book for anyone really.
The story tells of a BBC Researcher who is at risk of being uncovered as a participant in the 'alternative' world of S&M. After the protagonist manages to stop the BBC worker from being kidnapped she goes to extreme lengths to protect him and find out who is guilty of the kidnapping attempt.
What follows is the activities of household which calls itself 'Nirvana'. There are deaths, attacks and crazy characters as the team go to lengths to uncover the whole scandal and as they dig deeper they find that it is all because of a secret fascist movement in London which will go to extreme lengths to remain a secret. We soon find out that all is not what it seems with 'Stapled Stan' the submissive BBC employee.
This is a book which moves nice and fast with page-turning chapters, quirky characters and anarchistic activities. If you're looking for a light read with a good storyline then this is a book to read if it can be found. Although not one which invokes loud screams of laughter, it is a book which produces a smile.
Although likely to be put onto my "For sale" pile this was an very enjoyable book and one which I'll give a rating of 4 out of 5.
This is, yet again, another book I picked up in Poundland and another good yet light read.
Nirvana Bites is a book which is hard to put into any one category as it involves humour, crime, trash, weirdness and drugs so it's a book for anyone really.
The story tells of a BBC Researcher who is at risk of being uncovered as a participant in the 'alternative' world of S&M. After the protagonist manages to stop the BBC worker from being kidnapped she goes to extreme lengths to protect him and find out who is guilty of the kidnapping attempt.
What follows is the activities of household which calls itself 'Nirvana'. There are deaths, attacks and crazy characters as the team go to lengths to uncover the whole scandal and as they dig deeper they find that it is all because of a secret fascist movement in London which will go to extreme lengths to remain a secret. We soon find out that all is not what it seems with 'Stapled Stan' the submissive BBC employee.
This is a book which moves nice and fast with page-turning chapters, quirky characters and anarchistic activities. If you're looking for a light read with a good storyline then this is a book to read if it can be found. Although not one which invokes loud screams of laughter, it is a book which produces a smile.
Although likely to be put onto my "For sale" pile this was an very enjoyable book and one which I'll give a rating of 4 out of 5.
Thursday 20 January 2011
The Crime Trade by Simon Kernick
Another book from one of my very favourite writers and the one which marks my reading of all of his books (excluding one being released in February), 'The Crime Trade' is the story of a major drug deal/sting gone wrong. resulting in six deaths. From here on, the SOCA team have to uncover the source of a leak which caused the sting to go wrong.
What follows is another journey through the London criminal underworld with the reader being introduced to a number of slimy characters who would happily grass up a fellow criminal for a bit of money until the all-important final shootout resulting in deaths and the truth of who planned the leak being released.
Although not as lively and exciting as Kernick's other books, this was still a good read despite the aforementioned lack of action and mystery. However, with Mr. Kernick having connections to the criminal underworld and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency this book shows us what genuinely goes on under our noses (although there will obviously be the odd exaggeration here and there) without us knowing.
Those grotty pubs you grab an afternoon pint in in London could possibly be a criminal haven and the houses you mindlessly walk past could be drug dens. However, I'm not going to claim a novel as gospel.
As I've mentioned previously, this isn't one of simon Kernick's best novels but still a good read which can be completed in just a couple of sittings and also one which I really managed to get lost in with it's deep descriptions and back stories.
I'll have to give this one a rating of 3 out of 5
What follows is another journey through the London criminal underworld with the reader being introduced to a number of slimy characters who would happily grass up a fellow criminal for a bit of money until the all-important final shootout resulting in deaths and the truth of who planned the leak being released.
Although not as lively and exciting as Kernick's other books, this was still a good read despite the aforementioned lack of action and mystery. However, with Mr. Kernick having connections to the criminal underworld and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency this book shows us what genuinely goes on under our noses (although there will obviously be the odd exaggeration here and there) without us knowing.
Those grotty pubs you grab an afternoon pint in in London could possibly be a criminal haven and the houses you mindlessly walk past could be drug dens. However, I'm not going to claim a novel as gospel.
As I've mentioned previously, this isn't one of simon Kernick's best novels but still a good read which can be completed in just a couple of sittings and also one which I really managed to get lost in with it's deep descriptions and back stories.
I'll have to give this one a rating of 3 out of 5
Tuesday 18 January 2011
Hit by Tara Moss
Another little gem I picked up in Poundland, 'Hit' is the story of a businessman's son-cum-secret-criminal.
Beginning with our secret criminal having some naughty fun with an underage Asian girl and unknowingly being caught of camera, things soon start to go wrong. Ms. Underage Asian Chick is killed and the secret filmer is caught and also killed.
What follows is an undercover investigation into the killing of the filmer.
Unfortunately I can't really say more than that without giving pretty much the whole book away but what I can say is that despite Moss being Australia's number one crime writer, this book wasn't amazingly exciting for me. The story went a bit slow at times with very little happening and when something did happen, it was only in batches.
That's not to say I didn't like it. The characters were certainly interesting as were some of the events but they just didn't have that "Oomph!" to them. They just happened and that was that which was rather disappointing for a book written by a woman who has clearly done a lot of research in the events and how they happen (she's shot a gun, been set on fire, shadowed forensics and been to morgues).
I really don't know what else to say about this book other than that I very much doubt I'll be reading it again although I might look into the writer's other books at a (much) later date once I've cleared off my to-read list.
This one gets a small 2 out of 5 from me.
Tara Moss, you're hot n'all but the writing just didn't cut it, I'm afraid.
Beginning with our secret criminal having some naughty fun with an underage Asian girl and unknowingly being caught of camera, things soon start to go wrong. Ms. Underage Asian Chick is killed and the secret filmer is caught and also killed.
What follows is an undercover investigation into the killing of the filmer.
Unfortunately I can't really say more than that without giving pretty much the whole book away but what I can say is that despite Moss being Australia's number one crime writer, this book wasn't amazingly exciting for me. The story went a bit slow at times with very little happening and when something did happen, it was only in batches.
That's not to say I didn't like it. The characters were certainly interesting as were some of the events but they just didn't have that "Oomph!" to them. They just happened and that was that which was rather disappointing for a book written by a woman who has clearly done a lot of research in the events and how they happen (she's shot a gun, been set on fire, shadowed forensics and been to morgues).
I really don't know what else to say about this book other than that I very much doubt I'll be reading it again although I might look into the writer's other books at a (much) later date once I've cleared off my to-read list.
This one gets a small 2 out of 5 from me.
Tara Moss, you're hot n'all but the writing just didn't cut it, I'm afraid.
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Kraftwerk: I was a Robot (2nd ed.) by Wolfgang Flür
Kraftwerk: The inventors of electronic music and pioneers in their own right.
I Was a Robot is the honest autobiography of their drummer Wolfgang and his own account of his time in Kraftwerk, Yamo and his childhood. The book tells us everything we didn't know about this pioneering German band, from being the inventors of the drum machine to Ralf Hüttor and Florian Scheneider-Esleben threatening Flür with court action for mentioning certain insignificant actions in the first edition.
As we read through we are given the story of world tours and how they aren't as amazing as they sound to Wolfgang's departure and formation of his current project Yamo (formerly Jamo).
Having read a number of biographies, authorised and unauthorised, I knew that I was going to be reading stories of the band, certain events and how much the tour bus stank but I didn't think I was going to read about how Wolfgang "was masturbating to force some excitement from the grey day..." and that the founders of the band wanted the book taken off the market or edited due to some small events in his time with Kraftwerk.
Those who have lived will be well aware that the human race can be right pigs (and by 'pigs' I mean unmnetionable words) at times, however, they may not be aware at how pig-like some can be, especially by kicking members of the band out without even letting them know followed by claims that the kicked-outs were suppose to only be temporary members (an apparent lie) and had their names dropped from any albums that were re-released.
If you've been one to read an autobiography of any length, you may feel the need to claim that you know "everything about this person" after just reading about how they formed a band, played some live shows and released a groundbreaking album, even though you know this claim is false. However, when you've read this book you'll genuinely feel that you do really know Mr. Flür inside and out.
He is a man who has lived, experienced and tasted life as a musician dating right back to the early seventies when he began drumming in a German rock band (note: It wasn't the Scorpions or Rammstein).
This is a book which delves deep into the history of Kraftwerk and the beginnings of electronic music as we know it today albeit with many changes and variations and a definitive read for anyone interested in the electronic scene. This is a band which has inspired those who we listen to today: The Prodigy (quick fact: I went to the same school as Keith Flynt, something I'm rather proud to say), Chemical Bros, Faithless and Fatboy Slim. Pick it up if you can.
Definitely one of the best (and longest, I'll admit) books I've read in the past 6 months and one which I'll rate at a 5.
I Was a Robot is the honest autobiography of their drummer Wolfgang and his own account of his time in Kraftwerk, Yamo and his childhood. The book tells us everything we didn't know about this pioneering German band, from being the inventors of the drum machine to Ralf Hüttor and Florian Scheneider-Esleben threatening Flür with court action for mentioning certain insignificant actions in the first edition.
As we read through we are given the story of world tours and how they aren't as amazing as they sound to Wolfgang's departure and formation of his current project Yamo (formerly Jamo).
Having read a number of biographies, authorised and unauthorised, I knew that I was going to be reading stories of the band, certain events and how much the tour bus stank but I didn't think I was going to read about how Wolfgang "was masturbating to force some excitement from the grey day..." and that the founders of the band wanted the book taken off the market or edited due to some small events in his time with Kraftwerk.
Those who have lived will be well aware that the human race can be right pigs (and by 'pigs' I mean unmnetionable words) at times, however, they may not be aware at how pig-like some can be, especially by kicking members of the band out without even letting them know followed by claims that the kicked-outs were suppose to only be temporary members (an apparent lie) and had their names dropped from any albums that were re-released.
If you've been one to read an autobiography of any length, you may feel the need to claim that you know "everything about this person" after just reading about how they formed a band, played some live shows and released a groundbreaking album, even though you know this claim is false. However, when you've read this book you'll genuinely feel that you do really know Mr. Flür inside and out.
He is a man who has lived, experienced and tasted life as a musician dating right back to the early seventies when he began drumming in a German rock band (note: It wasn't the Scorpions or Rammstein).
This is a book which delves deep into the history of Kraftwerk and the beginnings of electronic music as we know it today albeit with many changes and variations and a definitive read for anyone interested in the electronic scene. This is a band which has inspired those who we listen to today: The Prodigy (quick fact: I went to the same school as Keith Flynt, something I'm rather proud to say), Chemical Bros, Faithless and Fatboy Slim. Pick it up if you can.
Definitely one of the best (and longest, I'll admit) books I've read in the past 6 months and one which I'll rate at a 5.
Sunday 2 January 2011
Challenges for 2011
So all that Christmas and New Years stuff is finished and 2011 is in our hands - happy new year to you all. A new year means new challenges and as a reader I feel much obliged to set myself some reading challenges to complete this year.
As you can see, recently my reading has slacked and was down to reading 1 or 2 books a months. Not too good for an English major, eh? So, the following challenges will be set in place and hopefully kept to:
- Read at least 4 books a month. That's one a week and 48 a year. Hopefully I can make that 50+
- Read some longer books. Recently I've been confined to reading books of just 300 pages. Not too impressive seeing as I used to get through 600-paged crime books in 3 days in 2008-9. It's time to find those big books again and get reading (Twilight doesn't count here)
- Expand my reading horizons. I currently unintentionally confine myself to reading books which are either comical, crime, biographical, about murderers, horror or comedy. I will now attempt to move out of these confort zones and pick up some books on philosophy (a new interest of mine), romance, adventure and full-on classic literature.
- Read all of my unread books currently gathering dust on my shelves. Charity shops and Poundland are dangerous when it comes to books. If I'm in Poundland I can't help but try and pick up every book on the shelf and in charity shops I usually walk in empty handed and come out with a bag of two or more books. This shall stop (unfortunately books with an RRP of £7.99 in £land are impossible not to buy so I won't hurt myself here) now.
- Read every book on my reading list and add no more until they are all read. Simple enough - I want to read them so I will.
That's about it for challenges. Looking back on them they don't seem too hard to stick to so hopefully I'll succeed. I'll let you know if I don't.
I'm about to read either the unauthorise biography of Mick Jagger or the official biography of Kraftwerk. This may change. We'll find out in the next review.
As you can see, recently my reading has slacked and was down to reading 1 or 2 books a months. Not too good for an English major, eh? So, the following challenges will be set in place and hopefully kept to:
- Read at least 4 books a month. That's one a week and 48 a year. Hopefully I can make that 50+
- Read some longer books. Recently I've been confined to reading books of just 300 pages. Not too impressive seeing as I used to get through 600-paged crime books in 3 days in 2008-9. It's time to find those big books again and get reading (Twilight doesn't count here)
- Expand my reading horizons. I currently unintentionally confine myself to reading books which are either comical, crime, biographical, about murderers, horror or comedy. I will now attempt to move out of these confort zones and pick up some books on philosophy (a new interest of mine), romance, adventure and full-on classic literature.
- Read all of my unread books currently gathering dust on my shelves. Charity shops and Poundland are dangerous when it comes to books. If I'm in Poundland I can't help but try and pick up every book on the shelf and in charity shops I usually walk in empty handed and come out with a bag of two or more books. This shall stop (unfortunately books with an RRP of £7.99 in £land are impossible not to buy so I won't hurt myself here) now.
- Read every book on my reading list and add no more until they are all read. Simple enough - I want to read them so I will.
That's about it for challenges. Looking back on them they don't seem too hard to stick to so hopefully I'll succeed. I'll let you know if I don't.
I'm about to read either the unauthorise biography of Mick Jagger or the official biography of Kraftwerk. This may change. We'll find out in the next review.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
After reading Orwells' utopian novel 1984, a comment appeared on this blog with the recommendation of Huxley's novel Brave New World. However, I'd completely forgotten about this book until I was browsing through the uni library and came across an old book almost in pieces. Curious, I picked it up and read the blurb which sound a lot like 1984 so naturally I took it out and have now reaa it (please note: This book only took so long to read as I was reading another book (still unfinished) and as of Boxing Day I've been ill/dying due to almost coughing my guts up. Not forgetting drunk and hungover at times, ahh Christmas.
Annnnnyhow, about the book. Brave New World is a novel which tells of a distant future, controlled by one government and consisting of around just 5 types of people whom are assigned different jobs, most of which involve the artificial creation and conditioning of children. To this world, sex and parentage are both considered disgusting and something which should not be/exist.
As the book goes on we are led through the said worldand given details of the process of how children are now brought into the world and, from the day they are born, conditioned to believe certain facts about the world and about who they are to work for. According to these facts the world is a shiny, perfect place where crime doesn't exist, drugs are freely handed out to adults and children, promiscuity is encouraged and each "type" of person is identical.
Travel is all by helicopter (cool) and everyone lives in London (Hmmm). However, when two characters go on a quick holiday, they manage to stumble across a tribe which still believes in God, engages in sexual activity and performs rituals - all of which is foreign to the book's characters, until, of course, two tribespeople are brought back to the city and shown to the workers. From then on we follow John, a boy who still believes in God and refuses to accept and adjust to this new life. Over time, John begins to adjust until he discusses religion which the world/country leader and feels forced to leave the civil life and live back in natural lands at which point the book is closing to a surprise ending.
Brave New World is another utopian novel which I found enjoyable and has inspired me to seek out others of similar concept (my current reading list has Yevgeny Zamyatin's We on it so look out for a review on that in the coming months).
The book has a number of fictional terms and people which adds to the interesting-ness of the book as Huxley is able to create new ideas and stories from these things. Short but well written it is a book with long words yet - when concentration is applied - easy to follow.
If you are a fan of 1984 then this is definitely a book you should pick up and have a read of.
Total rating: 4/5
Annnnnyhow, about the book. Brave New World is a novel which tells of a distant future, controlled by one government and consisting of around just 5 types of people whom are assigned different jobs, most of which involve the artificial creation and conditioning of children. To this world, sex and parentage are both considered disgusting and something which should not be/exist.
As the book goes on we are led through the said worldand given details of the process of how children are now brought into the world and, from the day they are born, conditioned to believe certain facts about the world and about who they are to work for. According to these facts the world is a shiny, perfect place where crime doesn't exist, drugs are freely handed out to adults and children, promiscuity is encouraged and each "type" of person is identical.
Travel is all by helicopter (cool) and everyone lives in London (Hmmm). However, when two characters go on a quick holiday, they manage to stumble across a tribe which still believes in God, engages in sexual activity and performs rituals - all of which is foreign to the book's characters, until, of course, two tribespeople are brought back to the city and shown to the workers. From then on we follow John, a boy who still believes in God and refuses to accept and adjust to this new life. Over time, John begins to adjust until he discusses religion which the world/country leader and feels forced to leave the civil life and live back in natural lands at which point the book is closing to a surprise ending.
Brave New World is another utopian novel which I found enjoyable and has inspired me to seek out others of similar concept (my current reading list has Yevgeny Zamyatin's We on it so look out for a review on that in the coming months).
The book has a number of fictional terms and people which adds to the interesting-ness of the book as Huxley is able to create new ideas and stories from these things. Short but well written it is a book with long words yet - when concentration is applied - easy to follow.
If you are a fan of 1984 then this is definitely a book you should pick up and have a read of.
Total rating: 4/5
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