Pavb2's Reading Log

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Not looking to read a book a week or anything like but just to look back upon and motivate to read more.

A lot of my more recent books were recommended on here which means you get away from your usual genre. Will probably go with marks out of 10

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First up is Troubles - JG Farell

You don't very often get a novel set in Ireland post 1916, pre civil war times so 100 pages in, very easy read quite humorous also interesting perspectives from English,Anglo Irish and Irish sides

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Troubles - JG Farrell 7/10
This was as good as some "classics" I've read. Not sure about the symbolism regarding decline of British empire etc. I took the book at face value as said before a fascinating insight to Ireland in those times especially peoples different perspectives.

Also got Siege of Krishnapur (2nd in trilogy) but will read this later,very sad about author who drowned in Cork 1979.

Probably going to read Lady Audley's Secret next

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Lady Audley's Secret 10/10

Really enjoyed this, comparisons with Woman in White(Wilkie Collins) for style and genre I'd like to look at the deeper meanings of this type of work sometime. Very atmospheric.

You do have to suspend belief with a few major coincidences

Talboys wife marries his friend's uncle

but I think the strength lies in the fact that she

isn't overtly evil but amoral and unfeeling regarding her son. I liked the way the hero changed from Talboys to Robert,he was an extremely good and funny character almost the reluctant hero

Unfortunately I don't usually read the same book twice but would like to re visit this in a few years.

Doing some work on mythology so next up is Greek Mythology:Gods and Men - Stephanides' Brothers

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And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie 8/10

Someone suggested this on boards so read last week,really easy to read nice atmosphere and good twist at the end. Probably too many characters for me.

Prolific writer so I wonder which of her books are ranked the best?Also got the ABC murders on my bookshelf.

Anyhow back to the Greeks

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The 9 Tailors - Dorothy L. Sayers 6/10

This was OK not as good as Agatha Christie,Ngaio Marsh too long too many characters too much technical description of bells (pointless) and sluice gates I couldn't understand.

Glad to get to the end of it but wouldn't be running out to buy any more.

Never said it before but I think it would probably have made a better film



Into about 100 pages of Blindsighted Karin Slaughter another departure for me

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Blindsighted - Karyn Slaughter 6/10

I like to read different authors and see what all the fuss is about, I thought this was like a written version of Hostel but in reality she isn't graphic or gruesome in her descriptions but leaves it to our imagination.

Cutting and massaging the heart was not for the squeamish

She's quite clever really like the coroner describing what has happened to the victim rather than actually describing it as it happens.

Too many coincidences and a bit unreal in places for me eg

murders,attacks, policeman shot and they just seem to carry on as normal the next day. Leaves body in public carpark and no one sees him. 2 serial killers that work in same building & both target her!! etc etc

Also I would have thought she would have told her husband about her attack especially when other family members knew,I was a bit bored with her relationship with husband.

I won't be reading her next one just yet but an OK read

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Flannery O'Connor Short Stories 6/10

A Good Man is Hard to Find was recommended on here and is a powerful story probably the best I'd give it 8/10 alone.

All the rest became a bit blurred after a bit maybe because it's a collection it might be better to dip in and out .

The shocker about this collection is the continual use of the word n****r. Maybe it wasn't so derogoratory in the 50's but still to see it written so liberally is strange.

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Guy De Maupassant - The Best Short Stories 8/10

Better than F.O.Connor's. The Necklace is excellent,Boule de Souf good and the Two Friends very moving.

He paints a very colourful world and I'm sure there's more hidden meaning in the satire than I uncovered.

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Into Thin Air -John Krauker 8/10

This book was very good on so many different levels the narrative of events interesting enough in itself but the validity of his version of events was also questioned afterwards.

The number of sub plots and politics of the story was fascinating. Sandy Pitman the socialite bringing her television with her,the selfish guide who also wrote a book defending his actions, the Japanese climbers who left dying climbers in order to reach the summit.

All in all a good but poignant read

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The ABC Murders - Agatha Christie 7/10

I enjoy the odd Christie book,don't analyse the plot too much, a very easy read but too strong a hint given too early as to the identity of the villain.

I find it interesting though the book set in the first half of the 20th century references to the decline in society and how things were better before same stuff talked about nowadays.

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The Year of the French - Thomas Flanagan 10/ 10

Well what can I say took me a long time to get through this but a brilliant novel in every sense of the word.

Not an action packed thriller but the story flows for the 500 pages. Flanagan's account of the social landscape and events of 1798 is incredibly detailed.

For me I always think of Wexford and 1798 I had a vague idea of the French landing in Mayo but this story and episode is quite breathtaking and sad.

Flanagan weaves his novel with 5 different narrators and points of view and the book is up there with the best reference books of the period.

I reckon this should be compulsory reading in school and there is also an interesting discussion over on the history forum

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The Forgotten Highlander - Alistair Urquhart 9/10

This was a fascinating read about a WW 2 soldier held captive by the japanese recommended on boards. I don't think the written word can adequately describe what Urquhart went through for 3 1/2 years.

Written in a very direct style what struck me was Urquharts honesty. For example he feels let down that the army in the East were left to fend for themselves and bitterness at the muted reaction they received when they got home. Regarding Nagasaki he says.

' I was disturbed by the devastation but felt no sympathy for the Japanese. Serves them bloody right, I thought. How else was it going to end.'

No sucking up to the pc brigade there and he admits he can't forgive the soldiers who treated them so appallingly.

We lose track with the doom & gloom of these times of how truly bad life can be but for an accident of time.This book is a reminder that perhaps were not too badly off and sadly one story amongst hundreds of thousands.

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Salammbo - Gustave Flaubert 9/10

A brutal study of a conflict between Barbarians and the Carthaginians a very colourful novel with plenty of detail but at times I struggled to picture the events particularly the siege warfare.

The problem I had was I couldn't warm to the characters one moment I was sympathetic to the rebels another the Carthaginians. The last quarter of the book did raise the whole novel though

Some brilliant scenes the rebels in the ravine, lions, children being sacrificed, siege and crucifixions shocking but effective. I liked Spendius and the aqueduct scene, the rebels fighting amongst themselves to save 60 only to be stabbed in the back. Likewise Hamilcar saving his own son, Hannibal and his scene with the father of the imposter. Matho's final scene was appalling yet gripping.

Salammbo herself was a bit redundant (though I realise it isn't a novel about her) I was a bit unsure did the high priest poison her or did she do it herself if anyone knows?Edit I googled and it says she died of shock at seeing Matho?

?

All in all a good read and Flaubert's language and descriptions are very good I think it would make an excellent colourful film also a guide to the text would be good.

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The Haunted - James Herbert 7/10

Read The Rats many years ago really made you squirm when reading and better than others of his more supernatural pieces like Shrine.

Picked up Haunted on front shelf in Easons thought it was relatively new. Anyhow we forget how times change, smoking in a railway compartment using pay phones etc etc I had to check and realised it was written in 1988.

I'm not sure about Herbert's style is he a bad writer? Things like 'David unlocked the door,the investigator went in' make you wonder if he's still talking about the same person.He continually writes like this with the obligatory physical description of each character.

An easy enough read creates a good bit of tension in the last quarter but falls short on a lot of plot elements.

The haunting in the church was irrelevant also I thought we should have seen the demise of Edith Phipps. Also why would someone who had telepathic powers resort to being a charlatan surely they could make plenty of money with this talent.

Anyhow taking the critical review hat off not entirely a bad read

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Pompeii - Robert Harris 8/10

A good read though the first 2/3 s

specifically finding the water problem was a bit irrelevant. If the tension of the last quarter, the eruption etc had been there in the earlier part this would have been excellent. Aside from the engineer the other characters were a bit bland.

Ampliatus was evil but this didn't come across as an out and out villain and a bit confusing as to his relationship with his daughter.

Not sure that Corax's motivation to kill him was strong enough.

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I've read a couple of other books The Religion - Willocks and one of Conn Iggulden's although the plot is different they all seem to have similar characters. Though I could be influenced by the book The Seven Basic Plots[/B] an excellent book, whose examples led me to a lot of other good reads.

The young hero with baggage
The good sage experienced warrior who dies
The high born woman, the hero's love interest
The scatty soothsayer prohecy telling woman
The king normally a baddie
The out and out villain the hero's enemy
The boy

I did like the ending

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Revision A Creative Approach to Creative Writing - Kaplan 10/10

I'd have a bit of an interest in creative writing I think we've all read a book where we thought we could do better than that ourselves. Anyway it is a lot harder than one thinks and a major achievement to get something completed let alone published.

Anyhow this book deals with the whole process from first draft to editing,editing editing and is relevant to both short stories and novels.

I considered editing to be changing a sentence here a punctuation mark here etc but this book explains you have to tear down your piece, look at it from different angles and even if you end up with something similar to the original the whole process should improve your work.

I agree with him that you may (Will) not achieve perfection but get your work as good as you can at that given moment. Very easy to read and as he says re vision (not revision) is looking at your work from a new perspective even if you leave it for months years, even if you never complete the work the process and cupboards (hard drives) of unfinished work are not wasted.

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John Dene of Toronto, A Whitehall Farce - Herbert George Jenkins 8/10

Written in 1920 this book creates a funny vivid world full of colourful and eccentric characters. A satire on the nepotism/cronyism of the British upper class system I think though I didn't analyse it rather took the book at face value.

Set at time of WW1 John Dene is a Canadian 'from one of the colonies' he offers the stuffy British admiralty a secret weapon and proceeds to 'ginger' them up. Plot is a bit predictable but the essence of the story I think is the characters.

What I find interesting is the language and picture painted by an author in 1920. Even though the book is supposed to be a farce there are many things that at the time I'm sure were not intended to be funny or grab our interest but looking back over 90 years they do.

Incidentally I got this book free on a Kindle application and read on the phone, a new experience, I definitely read it faster than a traditional book

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A Criminal and an Irishman - Patrick Nee 7/10

Not sure what to make of this book a lot of names mentioned Whitey Bulger amongst others, but the book leaves an awful lot unsaid such as Nee's motivation as an ex marine to become involved in gun running for the IRA. criminality and his nine year stretch after the event.

He gives a potted history of Ireland, Cromwell, the famine, hunger strikers etc but omits 1798 also driving south west from Mayo to Rosslare made me smile.

His parents, rural Galway people, encouraging and almost demanding that he kills the man who killed his brother was quite shocking.

Interesting stuff about accumulating the arms almost too easy and no disclosure of how they were betrayed.

The book reads like a first draft and very sketchy and you feel it needs 'colouring' in, altogether an unusual insight into the situation in the North from a different perspective. Sort of Brits out, give us the 6 counties back & all will be sorted

His patriotism and love of 'the auld sod' could only be written by someone who hadn't lived here for long.

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The Greene Murder Case - S.S. Van Dine 8/10

If you like Agatha Christie then this author would be worth a look. Set in the 1920's - 30's the hero detective is the very well off and cultured Philo Vance aided by his side kick the prosecutor Markham.

Lots of interesting characters, a quite obnoxious family who get popped off one by one I guessed the whodunit but not the howdunit.

The author Willard Huntingdon Wright, Van Dine being a pseudonym wrote this series out of boredom when confined to bed for 2 years, a heart condition alleged by his biographer to be a cocaine addiction.

This is the value of the kindle a free down load, I probably wouldn't have bought this book in a book store but a nice light read.

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A Chosen Few Short Stories - Frank R. Stockton 9/10

Another Kindle freebie, The Lady, or The Tiger? One of the best short stories I'd read so delighted to read it again. So did he open the right door or did the princess set him up? The story was written in an attempt to involve his readers but I heard the author was 'the recipient of a great deal of scolding' because of the ending.

Some good off the wall stories here and the characters give a colourful and amusing read The Transferred Ghost, Old Pipes, the Echo Dwarf and the Dryad.

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The Secret Adversary - Agatha Christie 8/10

Kindle -A bit different from her usual stuff and I was suprised to learn only her 2nd novel but I enjoyed this story and the twist at the end was good.

Tuppence came across as quite annoying and a bit of a spoilt brat but other characters were well drawn and an interesting if unintentional social portrait of 1920's England complete with Bolshevik spy rings, Irish Republicans and imminent revolution.

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Bounce - Matthew Syed 8/10

I enjoyed this book particularly the first sections 10000 hours to become accomplished at a skill, puts things in perspective.

The book is a great motivator whether it's sport or music etc & some good advice regarding setting a goal just beyond your reach.

I found the last few sections regarding race and drugs very different from the earlier conversational style of earlier, a bit too 'technical' for me.

On balance easy to read &informative

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The Punished - Peter Meredith 8/10

Kindle - What impressed me about this book was the way the author managed to maintain suspense throughout particularly as there was really only one location and relatively few characters.

The tense psychological element of the story never let up and we really got into the head of Curt.

What worked was the way the characters were not good or bad but all shades of grey in between.

The interactions and personalities of the children worked well I thought of Lord of the Flies but I don't think this is a satisfactory comparision.

On reflection this story is more akin to Stephen King or James Herbert.

I just realised this is 140 000 words but it didn't feel like it.

All in all a decent read and to use the cliche I did find it difficult to put down

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The Palaver Tree - Wendy Unsworth 8/10

Kindle - This was an excellent read for so many different reasons as the author has a great eye for detail and gets this across to the reader most effectively.

The contrast between a sleepy affluent Cornish village and the stifling heat of a poverty stricken African village was really well done.

All the characters were all well drawn but the strength of the story was the way in which the many different characters,sub plots and locations were weaved together.

A slow burner to begin with the story hinted at conflict had elements of mystery and gradually the suspense increased to an action packed ending.

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Father John Murphy, Boolavogue 1753 -1798 - Nicholas Furlong 9/10

The Wexford rebellion of 1798 is generally recognised throughout Ireland but other then that unless you happen to live in the locality people in general know very little about the actual events and people involved.

Father Murphy becomes the reluctant leader and catalyst for the rebellion and the book chronologically describes his participation in the unsuccessful rebellion, a chapter in the overall events of 1798.

We don't get to know much about his emotions but do get to know the man by his actions and one feels if other leaders of the rebellion had acted with the same sense of courage and intelligence the outcome may have been different.

I was interested in his escape and events after Vinegar Hill particularly his failed attempts to continue the rebellion. The book provokes the need for further reading as there are so many intriguing subplots including the Castlecomer miners, the capture of a ship in Wexford, Myles Byrne, the risings in the West, North and Midlands.

An informative read and good account of one of the important yet little known figures of this period.

One week end I'll probably look at retracing his steps from Boolavogue, Oulart, Enniscorthy, Castlecomer and Tullow.

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The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie 9/10

I agree with others this is probably the best I've read by A.C. and I think
the reason is that the story is told in the first person by what I guess is an
unreliable narrator.

The Doctor's voice and his sister's character are
brilliant, shades of Arsenic and Old Lace.


Poirot plays a secondary role but this doesn't detract from the story.


I guessed at the ending about 3/4 through as the red herrings weren't really
serious but was still intrigued to see the final denouement.


Poirot allows the Dr to take the honourable way out and why not? After all he
is a gentleman and not your usual bloodthirsty villain.

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Warrior of Rome Fire in the East - Harry Sidebottom 7/8

Wrote this before, I've read a couple of other books The Religion - Willocks and one of Conn Iggulden's and though the plot is different they all seem to have similar characters. The noble protaganist, the rough loyal veteran sidekick, the love interest (high ranking or a noble), the mystic/soothsayer (usually a woman), the boy (this had two) and the antagonist.

So although formulaic this wasn't too bad for a holiday read I think a lot of detail such as the mining taken from the siege of Constantinople.

There are two major plot points that let it down

We are told it is a lost cause but the city has to be held
at all costs, this will be a fight to the death, not an inch given etc. etc

So they struggle to hold the siege but manage to see off the enemy, success after success. Suddenly a few of the enemy break through and they are straight up on their horses and off. No noble sacrifice here.

The spy sub plot was a bit irrelevant.

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It's almost like the story was going along nicely and the author then decided hang on I can make a few sequels out of this so changed things accordingly which would explain the 2 points above.

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Homicide A Year On The Killing Streets - David Simon 9/10

I think PaddySam recommended this so thanks.

'By the summer with the body count rising in the Baltimore heat I came to realise that I was standing on the factory floor.This was death investigation as an assembly line process a growth industry for a rust belt America that had long ceased to mass manufacture much of anything save for heartbreak itself.'


The above quote sums up my view of the book.

Not a beginning middle and end like a traditional book but a commentary of life on the streets. At 600 pages + this book is the paperback equivalent of the box set.

Characters like detectives Mclarney, D'Addario and Pellegrini stood out for me but you suspect the author held back on some of the unofficial punishments handed down.

The strength of the book lies in the narrative described by the author. He obviously wasn't with the detectives every waking hour but was so close that he managed to make the dialogue and interaction wholly believable.

A great read, and another world, though not unique to Baltimore.

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Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilisation - Richard Miles 8/10


Overall I enjoyed this book but couldn't help comparing it to Constantinople 1453 which gave a detailed account of the siege and personalities involved.

Carthage gave a more top down overview of the political machinations that gave birth to the city and its final demise.

An interesting read but a detailed account of the siege similar to the prologue would have been more interesting for me.

A good introduction to Carthage and very useful as a reference book. I note there are 140 pages of references so credit to the author for his thorough research.

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Stella - Peter Wyden 10/10

I was in Berlin a few years ago looking at an exhibition on Prince Albrecht Strasse former gestapo headquarters next to a preserved section of the Berlin wall. The exhibition detailed the rise of Nazism and included the Holocaust.

What stood out on this wall of misery was this picture of a glamorous, impeccably dressed young lady Stella Kubler posing with her boyfriend. Reading the narrative it turned out that Stella a Jew was a 'catcher' for the Gestapo. She sought out and betrayed former Jewish acquaintances hiding in Berlin.

This was something I had never come across before so so bought Peter Wyden's book. He had been to school with her.

Initially the resons for her betrayal were to save her parents from the death camps but after they were eventually sent away she continued her betrayal.

Not only does the book detail her actions but asks questions about the human instinct for survival and Wyden gives a very balanced opinion. Obviously her actions were wrong the more complex discussion involves her motivation.It's easy to judge but no-one knows how they would react under similar circumstances.

I gave this my 1st 10/10 as the subject matter is so tragic and Wyden describes a hitherto unknown chapter to me of WW2.

It seems luck, fate played such a crucial role in many of the lives of these people. Primo Levi talks about something as insignificant as the switching of the points on a railway track the difference between life and death.

Here's her picture there are also videos on the web of a young Stella in class.

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The Siege of Krishnapur - J.G. Farrell 10/10

This was the first book in a long time I couldn't put down and I thought it a much better read due to the tense action and faster pace than Farrell's other work Troubles.

J.G. runs an extremely humourous thread throughout the narrative usually the reactions of the stiff upper lip English to some trivial point of protocol or decorum in the face of immediate death and destruction.
The humour is extremely clever not throw a way one liners but a long build up to deliver a comical scene or incident.

The scene with the two officers cleaning the insects off Lucy was genius. Likewise the same two fighting the Sepoys against the running commentary of the Padre.

The characters though pompous twits, ladies far removed from the real world and educated idiots were diverse and likeable and you found yourself rooting for them. I think most of them changed over the course of the narrative

The book was very well written I'm sure like Animal Farm you could take it apart and analyse it to death.

Would make an excellent film, all in all a great read.

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The Black Arrow - Robert Louis Stevenson 7/10

Less well known than his other works this was still an entertaining read along the lines of Robin Hood etc

Set at the time of the War of the Roses there were a lot of different parts it almost read like a mini series the main protaganist battling against the odds.

What interested me and I think the book was censored afterwards is the completely ruthless and ammoral manner the hero carries out his business. Stealing a man's ship, killing someone who stood in his way when if written today I think a tap on the head would suffice etc etc.

But for me this is an indication of life Robert Louis times when perhaps life wasn't held in as high regard and moral codes more blurred

I liked the appearance of a youthful Richard of York and the early signs of his cruel personality.

An easy going plot but if you were to see the book literally on film I think it would be quite graphic in its violence.

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The Whereabouts of Eneas Macnulty - Sebastian Barry 8/10

This was an extremely well written book the prose being very descriptive and poetic and there is a lot packed into the story.

The story does not have a conventional beginning middle and end but is a commentary on the life of Eneas.

Eneas is a likeable character and through all the drama he seems to be quite cool and unflappable. His friendship with Harcourt was touching and the dramatic ending worked well.

A satisfying read for anyone unfamiliar with Barry's work.

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Jet - Russell Blake 7/10

The wonders of the kindle, I got this as a freebie and it seems Russell blake is a bit of a phenomenon when it comes to publishing e books. 14 hour writing days and 18 books published.

Anyhow Jet was an interesting book about an ass kicking ex mossad female agent who wanted out. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo came to mind but it seems this was the author's intention to write a novel with exotic locations in the Bond, Kill Bill genre.

The story was fine and it was worth the read as it didn't tax the brain too much.

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Fatherland - Robert Harris 8/10

This was an enjoyable read exploring the 'what ifs' of history and RH succeeds in creating a disturbing alternative new order. The book reminded me of Gorky Park, the main character being a detective on the outside of the establishment.

A minor weakness for me was that the big secret or cover up

that the jews were exterminated,

did not have much impact on me perhaps because this is now common knowledge.

The strength of the book lies in RH's description of a new order particularly the detective's relationship with his son.

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The Riddle of the Sands - Erskine Childers 8/10

A very enjoyable read very much a boy's own type of story.

Written in 1903 the prophetic opinion of the day regarding the inevitibility of war with Germany is quite eerie.

Childers touches on the navies of Britain and Germany, Germany's lack of colonies and Britain's stretched naval resources because of her colonies.

I enjoyed the stiff upper lip style of this narrative almost as interesting as the plot in itself.

Maybe a sign of the times the way books are structured today but the hero(es)

had a bit of an easy ride not too much conflict or sticky situations to extricate themselves from.

I got a great deal of pleasure repairing to the drawing room in my velvet smoking jacket armed with a glass of brandy and a thick cigar listening to the shipping news playing softly on the wireless in the background.

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Been away from here for a few months so a quick update:

Days of Atonement -Michael Gregorio 8/10

Co written this is an interesting crime novel set during the Franco Prussian war.

The Mysterious Stranger - Mark Twain 8/10

I enjoyed this tale of the devil but would probably have to read up on some of the more subtle meanings of the writing.

“Every one knew he could foretell wars and famines, though that was not so hard, for there was always a war, and generally a famine somewhere.”

From the Earth, A Cry The story of John Boyle O'Reilly - Ian Kenneally 8/10

O' Reilly was part of the Fenian conspiracy of 1865 and transported to Australia from where he escaped and made a new life in America. He was involved in the rescue of other Fenian prisoners from Australia (see The Voyage of the Catalpa). I enjoyed the tale of his escape from Australia, the book changed to a slower pace when relating his time in America.

Currently reading The Man in the Iron Mask, 80 pages in and it's laborious. I rarely leave a book unfinished but with 400+ pages left ???

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This was a good read but I think there were probably too many sub plots and superficial characters (win)which weren't sufficiently developed. It would have been good to see some of these from a different POV rather than the main character's.

Some aspects of the story didn't stand up to scrutiny and we're overly complicated

the shooting in the trailer park, a pair of shoes left on a bridge over a river would have sufficed, the Marshall also got away rather too easily with his "murder" and kneecapping

Having said that the first half was enthralling one of those books where you can't wait to find out what's coming next.

Will probably try one of his others The Woods looks like a good story.

I admitted defeat with The Man in The Iron Mask

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Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett 7/10

Quite a large book depicting a story of medieval intrigue against the backdrop of the construction of a cathedral.

Some things didn't add up and seemed implausible also too many right place at right time coincidences. I couldn't quite warm to the characters and I don't think I've read any book of this length and felt it didn't need shortening. I think this could have been 33% shorter

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A Princess of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs 10/10

I really enjoyed this story, John Carter a confederate veteran takes us on a very entertaining journey to another world full of imaginative machines, beings and creatures.

This the world of Zodangans,Helium,the Tharks, Thoats and his faithful ally Woola still not quite sure what he is.

This crosses many genres, science fiction, adventure and a new one for me inter planetary romance. The contrast between the old Wild West and the red planet is interesting.

I looked forward to coming home of an evening to pick this book up and wonder if I hadn't seen it so many times on film would I have enjoyed his more famous work Tarzan as much. like APoM Tarzan also hinges on that juxtaposition theme of a character of one world being thrown into another.

Not sure of the significance of the mummified woman in the cave at the end though this is the first of a trilogy so maybe it becomes apparent later on . . . Or maybe not

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The House of the Four Winds - John Buchan 7/10

From the writer of The 39 Steps this was an enjoyable read very much like the famous Five had all grown up and were continuing their adventures. The story centered around Jaikie and his friends who all end up in the fictional European country of Evallonia. Set between the wars it has that cocktails, cigar and upper middle class period feel and atmosphere about it.

The plot was a bit too linear and one dimensional for me a few sub plots involving the other main characters would have made it more interesting. This was I think the third in a trilogy so maybe that had something to do with the limited roles of the others.

Would probably make a better film as there is a lot of action in it.

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She - H Rider Haggard 7/10

One of the problems I had with this book was that every time I went to read it that song by Charles Aznavour kept coming into my head. The one one that goes " she may be the face I can't forget etc etc"

The book was interesting though I think the plot was given away much too early. the first and last action parts were good but in between too much introspective dialogue, too wordy.

This is a quest from Oxbridge England to darkest Africa a mission to unlock an age old mystery

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Fluke - James Herbert 8/10

This was an unusual tale about a man that thinks he's a dog or a dog that thinks hes a man. I read many James Herbert books about 30 years ago The Rats (probably the best a story that made your skin crawl when reading) others like Shrine the Fog, the Spear and the Jonah always had that deus ex machina element but less so with Fluke.

An interesting plot, the characters a bit one dimensional and too much pre occupation with food but never the less a good tale which held the interest as you wanted to get to the final conclusion/explanation.

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Magellan - Stefan Zweig 9/10

We've probably all heard the name Magellan but in my case didn't really know the detail of his achievement so if you're looking for an overview of the man then this book does the job.

I was quite surprised that the book was written in 1938 as it seems much more modern. The narrative tracks Magellan early history his struggle to find a sponsor for the voyage, through to the voyage and final return. It throws up many avenues for further reading such as the fate of the third ship.
The Victory.
The book is easy to read and flows well with minimal technical references though I do think a few maps would have been helpful.

The author Stefan zweig seems to have lived an eventful life,an Austrian born Jew he was a popular writer in the 1920s 30's leaving when hitler came to power. Zweig and his wife committed suicide in 1942

A

pavb2

The Sign of the Spider - Bertram Mitford 8/10

This was an interesting read basically about a man leaving his wife and family in Edwardian England to seek his fortune in boom time South Africa a reasonably good adventure yarn made interesting by the setting.

A couple of quotes:
He was one of those men who seem born never to succeed. With everything in his favour apparently, Laurence Stanninghame never did succeed. Everything he touched seemed to go wrong. If he speculated, whether it was a half-crown bet or a thousand-pound investment, smash went the concern.

She was talking at him.

This was a thing she frequently did, and she had two ways of doing it. One was to talk at him through a third party when they two were not alone together; the other to convey moralisings and innuendo for his edification when they were — as in the present case.

The Book Thief 8/10

This was a poignant and unusual story the character of Liesel was very good.

The Girl on the Train 8/10

Told from the perspective of three different women this murder mystery is a page turner.

5 Little Pigs - Agatha Christie 7/10

I enjoy a bit of AC and hadn't read this one a couple of strategic red herrings make it a bit contrived but not bad.

pavb2

Kolymsky Heights - Lionel Davison 7/10

This was OK a thriller which gave a good insight into the Arctic. The plot revolves around a native American Indian who can speak many languages including Inuit, Korean amongst many others. He's asked to get in to a secret Russian installation in the Arctic to help an old scientist acquaintance.

On the whole there was too much detail for me such as

I couldn't se the reason for the initial trip on the ship and constructing a car instead of stealing one seemed a bit pointless and far fetched

pavb2

The Ghost Ship - Clive Cussler 7/10

Going in to book shops for the last 30 + years I've always seen books by Clive Cussler and Wilbur Smith so I picked a couple up the other day.

About 20 pages in to the above I didn't think I was going to finish it. If anyone's been in to the creative writing forum and seen the work of Padraig, I think The Madman is one of his then he could have easily based his stories on the above. The character is a kind of Bond, Indiana Jones, Adam West cartoon cut out hero

This story has characters called Kurt, Trent, Dirk and Gamay and everything is completely over the top. The attempted wise cracking between Gamay and her husband is excruciating to read.

So once I realised the book wasn't to be taken too seriously it actually wasn't too bad a story. I think you have to suspend belief and it did while away a few hours.

pavb2

Malice Aforethought - Francis Iles10/10

I saw this on Amazon and it brought back vague memories of a mini series I watched in 1979 starring Hywel Bennet.

The book is a fantastic black comedy, a dark but very humourous 1930's period piece about a hen pecked husband who plans to bump off his overbearing wife.

No spoiler required as his intent is stated in the opening paragraph which did cause a bit of controversy as people's expectation at the time was that the killer is always revealed in the final denouement.

pavb2

The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco 6/10

I know this book has had great reviews but after 528 pages I'm left with the feeling of what on earth was that all about.

I did Latin at school but there were scores of sentences in Latin beyond my comprehension.

All the monks seemed to be the same I couldn't work out who was who.

I couldn't work out why William was at the monastery, why were the inquisitors there and Lord only knows what was going on between the King of France, the Pope and the emperor. What was the big deal about the book? Why was Jorge so protective towards it.

There was far too much inner dialogue and I don't know why Eco used so much irrelevant description when less would have had the same effect,
unless it was a case of 'look how creative and descriptive I can be.'

Having said that the mechanics of the plot were quite good but I couldn't wait to get to the end of this one.

'Long winded, pretentious and bogged down in peripheral theological rubbish are a couple of other reviews.'

Maybe I needed a dumbed down version.

wreade1872

pavb2 wrote: »

The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco 6/10

I know this book has had great reviews but after 528 pages I'm left with the feeling of what on earth was that all about.

I did Latin at school but there were scores of sentences in Latin beyond my comprehension.

All the monks seemed to be the same I couldn't work out who was who.

I couldn't work out why William was at the monastery, why were the inquisitors there and Lord only knows what was going on between the King of France, the Pope and the emperor. What was the big deal about the book? Why was Jorge so protective towards it.

There was far too much inner dialogue and I don't know why Eco used so much irrelevant description when less would have had the same effect,
unless it was a case of 'look how creative and descriptive I can be.'

Having said that the mechanics of the plot were quite good but I couldn't wait to get to the end of this one.

'Long winded, pretentious and bogged down in peripheral theological rubbish are a couple of other reviews.'

Maybe I needed a dumbed down version.

I havn't read this but i did read the 'Island of the Day Before' and thought it was really pretty good. I've heard people who liked one won't like the other so maybe you'll like that instead . Still very highbrow, but i don't recall too much latin.