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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Driving Short Distances by Joff Winterhart

    A graphic novel that I wouldn't normally read is this type of one as I would have thought I wouldn't like it. It is a real life type one that doesn't have superheroes or anything but I am trying to read different things this year. So far it is working out!

    Here we have a very real, ordinary life type tale about a guy called Sam who is in his late 20s, still living at home and going nowhere in life. He has no job and is tall and awkward with everything. He gets a job with a distant family relative called Keith who is supposed to be doing distribution and delivery. All it actually involves is driving around with Keith as he goes in and out of small trading estates in England.

    Eventually he goes inside with Keith and gets to know the people Keith knows. From odd characters to the women in the local diner, Sam meets them all and begins to come out of his shell. That's really all that happens and sounds boring but this had me reading it non stop. It's kind of a coming of age tale for a guy that should have come of age years before.

    I liked the realism and the kind of observations of what different types of characters there are in life. There are a few laughs as well from the mundane aspects of life. I really liked the ending as while I was reading it, I was wondering how it would be wrapped up.

    This is another graphic novel that you should read as I found it very unique.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Pandemic by AG Riddle (Extinction Files #1)

    As we are in a pandemic, I thought I may as well read about a fictional one! This one is much deadlier than the real one. Its like it but this is even more deadlier. I thought this was a medical thriller and it starts off like one. Then it got even better when it went into a conspiracy and lots of action.

    In Kenya, a virus breaks out killing people and Dr Peyton Shaw with the CDC races there to try to stop it from spreading.Meanwhile a Desmond Shaw wakes up in a Berlin hotel room and has no memory who he is or why he is there.Men are coming to his hotel room and want to capture him. He goes on the run and has only one clue. Its a name. Peyton Shaw. Somehow Desmond seems to know a lot about the virus outbreak. Then the virus somehow seems to pop up everywhere around the world. Its a race to find out what is going on and a conspiracy is revealed.....

    The story races along and is a real page turner. It is like a mix between the Bourne Identity and the TV show Lost. I found myself wanting to read it non stop as bits are revealed as it went along. Just when you think you have it figured out, something else is revealed to surprise you! The climax is excellent but in a way there is almost too much happening!

    The book is 700 pages long and I felt the author crammed loads into the end. It was all great but there is a sequel too (that I am reading) so maybe he could have spread it out a bit better. But this is a minor niggle as I loved every page of it.Like all great books, you are left wanting more so thats a great sign. If you like thrillers then this is must read.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Genome by A.G. Riddle (Extinction Files #2)

    This is the sequel to Pandemic that is reviewed above this.The author was meant to write this as a trilogy but decided that he was able to finish it in 2 books.It continues right on after where the previous book left off so it is hard to say much about this one without giving spoilers to the first book! Don't worry, I won't spoil anything though.

    Everyone in the book is still looking for "The Looking Glass" and finally the secrets will be revealed. I see now that I called Desmond by the wrong surname in the previous review! His name is Desmond Hughes and he is not related to the doctor Peyton Shaw. Both characters are still in this book and are central to the plot.

    Its a race against time as all parties want to find the secret of the Looking Glass and there are numerous twists and turns. It is very like Michael Crichton so if you like his stuff like I do then you will like these 2 books.

    The only quibble for these books is that you might have to suspend your belief a bit. Its like saying James Bond is not realistic. If you just accept that the characters can get around the world and some things are possible then you will be fine. I was fine with it but I could see people complaining about some bits being far fetched. I thought the author made it all believable though.

    These 2 books are probably one of the best thrillers that I have ever read. I would almost put these above "I am Pilgrim" that I reviewed here. That book is far more famous than these but these books deserve more recognition. I did love that one too!

    I could really see these two books being made into movies or tv series. Maybe the only thing is people might not be reminded of the current pandemic but then again it could turn out to be all the rage with realism!

    So I would highly recommend you reading this series. I was reading non stop and flew through them. Really enjoyable thrillers!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin

    This book is subtitled An Inner journey to Optimal performance.Josh Waitzkin was a child chess prodigy and his story was shown in the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer. I have seen that movie and it is a good movie. Here he goes through his early chess career and why he gave up playing to do other things. He used his way of learning to go into martial arts.

    This is a mix of autobiography and a self help type of book. he goes through ways of learning and compares it to his life in chess. I found it fascinating and very good. There are numerous mind traps that we all fall into and he describes ways of avoiding them.

    He describes how he got to the top of chess and then getting to the top of Tai Chi Push Hands competition. He emphasises that these techniques can be applied to anything that you do in life and I think they can too. I would put this book up as a must read if you are into trying to learn better and making sure things stick in your mind.

    So if you like to learn how to learn then this is perfect for you. You at least will get a part autobiography too if nothing else!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller

    This is a classic graphic novel but I am only getting around to reading it now.It is set in a Gotham City where Batman has not been around for over 10 years. He has kind of retired but crime is now running rampant in Gotham.There is a new gang called The Mutants and they are wreaking havok. Then there is the Joker and Two-Face causing mischief.

    Superman now works for the government as his aging is slower and his Clark Kent identity is no longer a secret. Batman comes out of retirement to stop the crime in Gotham City and successfully starts cleaning it up. The government ask Superman to stop Batman as he is a vigilante.

    Needless to say, but this is a great graphic novel/comic. The story is great and this is meant to have inspired the serious side of comics rater than the campy stuff. I think there is room for all but this is very good. If you like Batman and comics you will probably have this read already but if you were like me and had not then you should definitely read this!

    This is my 100th review here! Give me a medal....No, it doesn't mean much but I do enjoy doing the reviews and hope at least somebody out there enjoys them and gets value out of them!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭ILikeBoats


    Congrats on the 100!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Finders Keepers by Mark Bowden

    This book is the true story of the guy in the USA who found 1.2 million dollars.It sounds so weird that you wonder if it is true but it is. It was in the early 1980s and Joey Coyle was driving down a road with a friend and they saw a yellow tub on the road. He was wondering if it was scrap and worth something so he got out and went over to it. Inside the yellow tub was 1.2 million dollars!

    Just a few minutes before he arrived there, an armoured truck transporting the money had been on that road. The money was in the back and 2 guys in the front. They had nonchalantly thrown the money in the back and went off on their usual trip. The money was not secured properly as the door was not closed fully. So when they went over bumps and around corners it gradually inched towards the door in the yellow tub. Then it fell out!

    Only a few minutes later they noticed it and raced back on their route. The money was gone and with Joey Coyle! This book tells the whole story from start to finish. The money was untraceable as it was used notes but all in 100 dollar bills. All Joey would have to do is lie low, tell no one and he would be okay. Unfortunately though, he nearly told everyone he met and the mess keeps getting bigger. If he handed it in he would have got 50,000 dollars.

    I really enjoyed this book as it gives all the details on what happened and what eventually happened to Coyle. The story was made into a movie "Money for Nothing" starring John Cusack, James Gandolfini and Bemicio Del Toro. I watched it last night after I read the book and the movie is way sanitised and a few things made up. Coyle was really a loser and drug addicted and all that is left out of the movie. He came from a tough irish neighbourhood in Philadelphia and had a shamrock tattoo as well.

    The whole tale ended up very sad but I really enjoyed this book.Something like this will probably never happen again as it had loads of things happen that normally don't. The guards were sloppy. The money was not secured. The door fell open. Someone happened to get to the money just before the guards noticed it. So it you like strange true stories then this book is for you!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Best Bad Things by Katrina Carrasco

    This is a historical crime novel and I liked the premise when I saw it first. It is written by a woman and I am making an effort this year to read more women. Generally I don't read much women authors and that's not any bias, its just that they generally seem to have books that don't interest me! Like I wouldn't read that normal people book by Sally Rooney if you paid me. They just don't entice me with their premise. But here we have a book set in 1887 in Port Townsend,Washington in the USA. It was a den of smuggling and rough characters so it is meant to be based on fact. I mean the story is fiction but there were characters like those in this book there.

    The hero is a woman called Alma Rosales and she is a half mexican, bisexual who was trained in espionage by the Pinkerton Detective agency. She now works for her former lover turned boss and she has to work undercover as a man to infiltrate the local drugs den. She wants to find out who has been stealing and shipping opium.

    This book has been praised/condemned for having a gay/gender fluid character but I couldn't care less as I just want an enjoyable read. So I read some things saying this book is unrealistic and others saying it was realistic about that kind of thing. All I know is, that I really enjoyed the story. Alma switches to her alter ego "Jack Camp" as she goes around town and as only a couple of people know she is a man she has to play things carefully.Most don't know and she has to keep that secret at all costs because at that time in a tough dock workers area, the men would have beaten her up or killed her.

    I saw reviews of this saying there were loads of violence and sex in this and that it was over the top. I found none of it like that and if anything it was a bit tame! She has sex with men and women so if you don't like that kind of thing don't read this. It's graphic but not too much.I really enjoyed this book as Alma was using everything to find out the truth. She was using her sexuality as well as her brains so I thought it knit together very well.

    I think this book should go on to be a series as I really liked the character. She was very unusual and you could see this being made into a tv series or movie.This is the authors first book and she shows great talent. I'm glad I took a chance and read it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Grid by Nick Cook

    This is a techno thriller about the US President and a plot against him.Josh Cain is the presidents personal doctor. He was a military psychiatrist and when a suicidal ex-marine is in a clock tower near the White House says he will only talk to him, Cain goes to meet him. The Ex-marine says there is a plot against the president and gives a few cryptic clues. When Cain is about to get more information from him, a sniper kills the marine. As he was threatening to kill himself and other people it seems as if it was just a psycho threatening the president. But then Cain is gradually drawn into the plot as it seems maybe the Ex-marine was telling the truth after all.....

    This has a really interesting premise and looks like it could be a great thriller with cutting edge technology thrown in. Unfortunately Cook somehow makes everything a pit pedestrian and the story plods along. A lot of characters come and go and its hard to keep track. Then suddenly near the end, things pick up a bit. Cook is trying to be Tom Clancy but it feels like a poor mans version. I think after recently reading I am Pilgrim which was a great read, this feels far inferior.

    It's not a bad book but it was just a bit dull at first and seemed like a book that would have benefited from tightening up. The first half gets bogged down in a lot of dull boring stuff that needed a rewrite. If he shortened it up, this could have been a great book. It feels like a great book was in here somewhere but it ended up just OK. Not sure if I would recommend it but you could read a lot worse too. So its one of those OK books!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Reckless Sleep by Roger Levy

    This is a sci fi book that was the authors first book. Its a bit all over the place. It is set in London in the future and is a type of dystopian book. There is volcanic ash raining down as the environment is really bad. There was earths first colony planet but that ended up in a war with the inhabitants where we were pushed off the planet.

    Jon Sciler is a survivor from that war and he is now back on earth. He is traumatised by the war as they said we would win easily but loads of his comrades died. Basically he has post traumatic depression from it.Someone is now hunting down and killing the survivors from that war so Sciler has to find out who is doing it before he is next. Meanwhile a company doing a new full immersion type VR system wants Sciler to test it.

    As you can see, there are a load of ideas thrown in and reading this felt very jumbled. It was a book where I was halfway through and not sure what was going on. There is talk about an off world war and then a virtual reality like the matrix. I came close to abandoning it as it just felt like a first write of something.Not much is explained so you have to just go with things.

    On the plus side, it is well written and Levy definitely has talent.I mean well written in the sense that you can see the talent but it is very jumbled in places.I would like to read more of him but this story was a bit garbled. Maybe as it was his first book, it ended up this way. I wouldn't recommend this book which is a shame as its one that I wanted to like. There was a good book in here somewhere. It just didn't come out!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Believe me by Eddie Izzard

    Eddie Izzard is a stand up comedian as well as an actor and other things! I am a huge fan of his stand up so I was really looking forward to this one.This is his autobiography or memoirs if you will and supposed to tell his whole story.

    Sadly this is the worst autobiography that I have ever read. I mean that! I was very disappointed with it. He starts off by saying that he is a private individual and doesn't know if his story is interesting. I think he should have got someone to help him as he spends the first 100 pages of the book talking about his life up until he was 6!!! Loads of stuff about how when he was 6 and stuff he did. No one cares about this time of his life. The next 100 gets him up to age 20.

    Then when he gets to adulthood there are some actually interesting stuff but there are loads of stuff glossed over. He talks about doing movies with famous people but nothing about how he got the part or what they were like. There is just too much left out all the time that left me very frustrated. There are only 376 pages in the book but the first 200 could be easily skipped.

    The last chapter is very weird with his bizarre ideas about life. I think he did not want to write this book at all and he kind of hints at that at the start of the book.Its like he didn't want to say too much. I really didn't learn anything about him. This is a book that you should avoid even if you are a fan of his like me. Waste of time reading it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Coronado by Dennis Lehane

    Lehane is a writer that I like but he tends to be a bit hit and miss. One book is great and then the next is crap.So you never know which you are going to get.This is a short story collection and I was looking forward to reading something a bit different as I haven't read short stories in ages.

    Sadly this is a book that is just terrible. All the stories are very dull and really go nowhere. After each one, I thought is that it? Oh well the next one might be better.But if anything they get worse.The story Coronado is actually a play that he wrote. That is the final story and its written like a play. That's ok but just before it, he has written the same tale in short story form. So really it felt like a page filler for the book. I got the sense that Lehane thinks it is a great story with a twist ending and wanted to expand on it in the form of a play.

    This book felt like he had a few scraps of ideas and stories left over and threw them into a book! Nothing seems fleshed out so avoid this collection at all costs. It just is not worth your time or money.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

    This is a book that I have been meaning to read for ages. A kind of book that when I saw it and what it was about made me think "I think I would like that book!" But of course that has happened before where I was let down and the book ended up being a disappointment so you never know!

    It is a fantasy type book that is called "New Weird Fiction" Its kind of an offspring of HP Lovecraft! This book is set in a city called New Crobuzon where there are various races all living together. There are humans, animal-people, insect-people and magic used all in a kind of steampunk victorian era type setting. The world that this is in is called Bas-Lag and we hear that there are numerous other city and lands elsewhere. This book concentrates on New Crobuzon and the main railway station in the centre of the city called Perdido Street Station and all the inhabitants who live around it.

    Isaac Dan Der Grimnebulin is a scientist who is approached by a member of a birdlike species that had his wings removed. He wants the scientist to help make him fly again. Isaac agrees to try to do it. Isaac also regularly collects anything of interest that he can for his lab but one lab specimen he collects will threaten the whole city. Isaac doesn't know it but he helps it grow inadvertently and then it gets out.........

    This book starts off by throwing you right into the world and you get a load of things thrown at you. It took me a while to settle in but once I did, this book is really engrossing in its world building. The only problem is that there are a tad too many ideas thrown in. It felt like Mieville went a bit overboard having so many ideas!

    But what is there had me hooked throughout the book. It is 700 pages which seems daunting but it flew along.I found myself really wanting to read more of it when I was doing other things. That's how much it had me hooked.As I said earlier, the only problem this had was there were too many ideas thrown in and not fleshed out. Each idea felt like it needed another book to talk about it!

    I really enjoyed this book and it was a book that made me completely forget about everything else and make me think I was in this weird world. It reminded me of Lord of the Rings in that way as I was totally immersed in the world that it created.

    For some readers this will be just too weird and strange to read and that would be a fair criticism. But if you can go with it and immerse yourself like I did, then you will love it. So this won't be for everyone, but I absolutely loved it!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone

    This is a kind of Self Help/Motivational book in the same vein as The Art of Learning that I reviewed here. Grant Cardone is a sales expert and this is a book telling how he makes a successful life. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind for these kind of books. If you start off cynical, then these books are worthless. But I wouldn't think these books are gospel either. I advocate reading and taking the bits out that you can use in your life.

    I don't own a business or sell stuff so it may seem this book is not worth reading but I found lots to take away from it. Cardone says to go for everything 10 times you normally would and to keep going. It felt like a guy giving you a non stop motivational talk and urging you to get going.

    He details how things that we think can be wrong. We think that if we play it safe we will be better off. But what happens is we end up way short of our original goal. Really we should be going all out and set a really high goal as then we will go all out. He does come across a bit of a lunatic but he says you almost have to be as its a cutthroat business.

    This certainly won't be for everyone but if you are open to these kind of books then this will suit you. It gave me a real can-do attitude and motivated me. I liked a lot of the steps that are universal but obviously the sales techniques were just interesting as I don't sell stuff. So read it and take what is useful like I did.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Hound of the Far Side by Gary Larson

    This is the Far Side collection No.7. I reviewed no.10 here. Like that one, this collection is short but very funny. Some hilarious drawings in here that had me almost in tears with laughter!! The odd one or 2 miss but this is a very good collection.

    Perfect for your bathroom reading as I always say!!! :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Primal Fear by William Diehl (Martin Vail #1)

    This is the first in a trilogy involving lawyer Martin Vail. He is a Chicago lawyer who is brilliant at defending clients so his enemies within the city give him a case where he is almost certain to lose. This is in order to humble him! The case involves a young simple country boy called Aaron Stampler who has been caught literally with blood on his hands after a very well known Bishop has been murdered with a knife. Can Vail get him off and avoid the death penalty? (This book was written in 1993)

    I really enjoyed this book as Diehl was a great writer. He only started writing at 50 but he was very good. This was made into a movie starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton. After I finished the book, I watched the movie. The movie made a few changes but that was very good too. So I recommend you watch the movie too after you read the book of course!

    This has a very famous ending that was very good. If you like Grisham legal thrillers then this should be right up your alley and I think it was better then Grisham actually.As thrillers go, they don't come better than this. Highly recommended!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Show of Evil by William Diehl (Martin Vail #2)

    This is the second book involving lawyer Martin Vail. It is very hard to talk about this book without giving away spoilers that would ruin the first book if you have not read it. So the short review is this is a very good book and I found it just as good as the first. Well worth reading.

    Martin Vail is now the chief prosecutor and as he knew all the tricks that defence teams use, he is very effective at putting bad guys away. But a murder comes to light that is almost the exact same as the murder committed in the first book. How is that possible? The new murders have the same identifying things from the first book but they were not known except by the murderer. What is going on?

    This was a great read and its not often that the follow up is equally as good as the first but this is the case here. Diehl really knew how to craft gripping stories that really build to a great climax.

    Do not read this book before the first book though. I really enjoyed it and this is definitely recommended.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Reign in Hell by William Diehl (Martin Vail #3)

    This is the third and final book in the Martin Vail story. Vail is now the Attorney General of the United States and has to handle all the threats in America. A top secret military convoy gets highjacked in the Rocky Mountains. The military guarding the convoy are all killed with some executed in military fashion. The convoy is completely stolen and there are no clues left. It was a highly professional operation and eventually Vail and his team are called in. The President calls him personally to tell him that a bunch of militia holed up on a mountain are the highjackers.

    The President wants Vail to do a RICO case against them. This is the laws that were used to bring down the mafia by following the money. Vail agrees and sets about doing it. All the while, the President and Vail want to avoid a huge shootout like Waco or Ruby Ridge and want to bring them all in peacefully. Its complicated also by the President who also served in the US Army with the general in charge of the Militia. The General hates the President as he thinks that the President rose through the ranks easily while the General did all the black ops and got no credit.

    Added to all this chaos, is an old adversary of Vails that appeared in the first 2 books who has somehow found a new life as someone else within the Militia......

    Again I warn anyone that this book should not be read before the first 2 books. This book is excellent and really builds again to an incredible climax. As an action thriller trilogy these 3 books have to be among the best I have ever read. Each book is different but have great climaxes in different ways. They leave me wishing Diehl had written 10 more of Vail!!!

    If you like thrillers, then I urge you to get these three books and you will not be disappointed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Big Fight by Sugar Ray Leonard

    As a change of pace from the last 3 thrillers, I decided to read a non fiction book. I like to read fiction then non fiction afterward so I don't get bored of the same type of book. Here we have the autobiography of the famous boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. I remember watching a few of his fights and I knew he was known for having great movement and speed.

    I really enjoyed this autobiography as Leonard is very honest about what he was like. He addresses his failings such as cheating and drinking. I prefer when I read these autobiographies that they are honest with both their failures and triumphs. The honesty in this book was very good and that's what made it so good.

    If you are interested in sports then this should be on your to-be-read list. I am not a huge boxing fan but I would watch the main fights. This book was a very entertaining read so check it out.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

    This is a book that has been in my collection for many many years. It was published in 1985 so not that long but it must be over 10 years! Finally got around to reading it.

    This is a dystopian type novel set in a police state called Gilead. We kind of gather that the USA has been overthrown and now women have no rights. Christian government nutters have taken over and now women are treated like cattle like in the old testament. If they can have children, they have to provide them to the men who are in charge called Commanders. So they are called Handmaids.People now wear colours according to their function in society.

    I loved this premise when I heard about it and this is now a famous book. Always wanted to read it but something always kept me from reading it. Don't know what it was, maybe some kind of spidey sense about it......

    And.............Yes my suspicions were correct. I really wanted to like it as the premise is great and really had me ready to read it. Sadly it seemed a jumbled mess and most of all it felt very dry and dull. It is told in first person by Offred and I should care about her but I didn't. This is all down to Atwood as a writer I think. She just isn't good in my opinion.

    If felt like an essay rather than a story so it was too preachy. I think a better writer would have made this really entertaining and made a feminist point about women having control of their lives. Other than the great premise, I found this terrible and couldn't wait to finish it. I came close to abandoning it but just held on until the end!

    I found the world she created kind of silly as characters mention that this revolution only just seemed to have happened as they remember their previous lives but they seem fully changed. Maybe it was just me but I didn't find it very believable to have everything that quick. Then having everyone in different colours seemed silly and trite.Planet of the Apes seems more realistic :pac:

    So yes, I hated this book when I wanted to like it. I wouldn't recommend anyone reading this. I might watch the tv series though as in better hands they might be able to make this idea work better.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,625 ✭✭✭theoneeyedman


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    The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

    This is a book that has been in my collection for many many years. It was published in 1985 so not that long but it must be over 10 years! Finally got around to reading it.

    This is a dystopian type novel set in a police state called Gilead. We kind of gather that the USA has been overthrown and now women have no rights. Christian government nutters have taken over and now women are treated like cattle like in the old testament. If they can have children, they have to provide them to the men who are in charge called Commanders. So they are called Handmaids.People now wear colours according to their function in society.

    I loved this premise when I heard about it and this is now a famous book. Always wanted to read it but something always kept me from reading it. Don't know what it was, maybe some kind of spidey sense about it......

    And.............Yes my suspicions were correct. I really wanted to like it as the premise is great and really had me ready to read it. Sadly it seemed a jumbled mess and most of all it felt very dry and dull. It is told in first person by Offred and I should care about her but I didn't. This is all down to Atwood as a writer I think. She just isn't good in my opinion.

    If felt like an essay rather than a story so it was too preachy. I think a better writer would have made this really entertaining and made a feminist point about women having control of their lives. Other than the great premise, I found this terrible and couldn't wait to finish it. I came close to abandoning it but just held on until the end!

    I found the world she created kind of silly as characters mention that this revolution only just seemed to have happened as they remember their previous lives but they seem fully changed. Maybe it was just me but I didn't find it very believable to have everything that quick. Then having everyone in different colours seemed silly and trite.Planet of the Apes seems more realistic :pac:

    So yes, I hated this book when I wanted to like it. I wouldn't recommend anyone reading this. I might watch the tv series though as in better hands they might be able to make this idea work better.

    I liked the TV series, so much so that I recently red The Testaments, the follow up hook published last year.

    Very disappointing.... I thought the writing was unimaginative, predictable, and unengaging. Just rambled on and on.... Farfetched storyline that was completely implausible.

    The Handmaid's Tale has a great setup, good ideas and concepts, brilliantly executed in the TV series. Not too often the TV is better than the book.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


    I liked the TV series, so much so that I recently red The Testaments, the follow up hook published last year.

    Very disappointing.... I thought the writing was unimaginative, predictable, and unengaging. Just rambled on and on.... Farfetched storyline that was completely implausible.

    The Handmaid's Tale has a great setup, good ideas and concepts, brilliantly executed in the TV series. Not too often the TV is better than the book.

    The TV series is meant to be very good alright so I think I will give that a go!

    I would only read The Testaments if I get it very cheap in a charity shop. That would only be to see the follow up but from what you said, I think I would hate that book too!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Somebody's husband, Somebody's son by Gordon Burn

    This is a non fiction book about the story of the Yorkshire Ripper who terrorised people from 1975 to around 1980. His name was Peter Sutcliffe and he killed 13 women and injured 9 others. Usually he used a hammer and knives. To say his murders were horrifying is to nearly play them down.

    This biography is in depth. When I say in depth I mean it! It starts off talking about his family such as his grandfather and father and you are kind of wondering what is the point of this. Then it goes into his upbringing and where he fitted within his family.It goes right through to his crimes and when he is caught.

    Because this starts off about his family it takes a while to get going where we get to the stuff thats really interesting.Taken overall though it is a really thorough examination of his life and serves to give background to him. His crimes were horrific and are hard to read sometimes but this book was very good. I would probably have cut out some of the early stuff in the book but it still is a very good if harrowing read. If you like true crime stuff then this is a must read.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Omerta by Mario Puzo

    This is another book in Mario Puzo's Mafia series. Its not connected to the Godfather but it is about the Mafia. Omerta is the Mafia Code of Silence where they don't talk about their business. This book is about a Mafia Don getting assassinated and no one talking. The FBI are investigating it while the Don's nephew sets out to find out who did it and dispense justice. Needless to say the Mafia type of justice isn't just a stern talking to!

    This was a book that was found after Puzos death so some people doubt whether he even wrote this one or was he just losing his touch. I wouldn't say it was bad but it wasn't good either. The story is very basic with hitmen, shootings and the Mafia. Every time that I grew a bit bored something happened like a shooting or kidnapping so it held my interest. After finishing it though, I can't really remember the full story so its a bit like fast food. I enjoyed it at the time but now I have forgotten it!

    If you want to read a throwaway thriller that doesn't have a load of substance to it then this is perfect! I am trying to read all of Puzos work so I am nearly there. Just a few more left.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Family by Mario Puzo

    This was Mario Puzo's last book that was completed by his girlfriend Carol Gino and is historical fiction about Pope Alexander VI and his family, the Borgias. They ran the papacy like a mafia family and that's why Puzo calls them the Family. This has all the ingredients that make a great book. Based on a true story, loves of shady dealings and violence all seemed to make me think that I would love it.

    But no I did not. It read like a school text book and I found myself getting very bored with it early on. I would have given this up only that it is Puzo's last novel. I have read all his fiction except his first book and another that it is a children's book. Eventually I will get round to his first book.

    I found myself wanting to read a real history book about the Borgias rather than made up things mixed with real things that happened. It just felt very dry and no passion in this. I wonder how much did his girlfriend change things or was it that it is just not any good. Puzo was supposed to have worked on this for over 20 years off and on while he wrote his other books. I wonder if he thought that he couldn't make it come alive and was always trying to make it better. This is pure speculation on my part though but I would not recommend this book. It is just too boring. I might just go on blaming the girlfriend!!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger

    Read this if you want to live......

    Well no, but it is Arnolds autobiography and this is a big book. 650 pages and this takes him through his youth to where he is now. A Hollywood icon! This is a great book as it is really in depth and Arnold really calls it as he saw it happening. He owns up to his mistakes and what he thinks his triumphs are too.

    It deals with all his weight lifting days and then goes into all his movies. His drive and determination really shines through in every thing he did and I loved that there was so much information about everything. If you are interested in his early days training or his movies, they are all dealt with and he is very honest about it all.

    Then it goes on to his run for Governor and political life. Health scares and a secret that he only revealed in this book...........His affair with the house maid....Arnold you crafty dog! :D

    If you are a fan of movies or of him then this book is a must read and even if you are not a fan, it still is a must read because he is so honest in dealing with everything. I would thoroughly recommend this book to everyone. It is a kind of motivation book too as he gives his own "rules" for success at the end. One of the best autobiographies that I have read.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Alienist by Caleb Carr

    Another book that I have had in my collection for years that I have only got around to reading now!! Its a historical fiction book set in 1896 in New York. An alienist is what they called a psychologist at that time as it was believed a person was "alienated" from his own body.

    The alienists name is Dr Laszlo Kreizler and he calls in a newspaper reporter called John Moore to help him investigate the horrific death of a young boy. Together they set out with help from others, to find out who did the crime but then find out that this boy may be just one of many victims....

    So in essence, this is like early criminal profiling to narrow down the search and the story is told in first person view of the newspaper man John Moore. Kreizler has views and methods that are now commonplace for catching killers but back then it was new and very strange. A lot of police thought that it didn't work and it was a waste of time to profile the murderer to narrow things down.

    This book was brilliant as it really puts you in that time period and I felt like I was really along for the ride and investigation. It has a lot of twists and turns and was a real book that I could not put down. This is another book that you should read as soon as you can if you have not already. I am only annoyed that I am only getting around to it now but glad that I have now read it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr

    This is the follow up to The Alienist that I reviewed above and it has the same characters as above.There are a few interesting differences between this and the first book. The first is that the story is now told from young Steves point of view. He is the former young thug who has now turned good guy under the tutelage of the doctor Laszlo Kreisler. The other difference in this book is that the murderer is known. The problem is proving it!

    It is now a year later than the events of the first book and a spanish diplomats wife comes to Kreisler saying her infant child has been kidnapped. But for some reason she is the only one saying it. The rest of her family don't want any investigation. She says she saw the woman who took the child and this leads to an investigation where this woman may be a serial child killer......All the while at this time the USA and Spain are on the verge of war so matters are very tense.....

    People that I see online have said this is not as good as the first book but to me it is almost better. The murderer is known but protected so how can they get her to justice? The only niggle is that the book is a tad too long.But it was still really enjoyable with a load of real life people from the time woven into the story. I spent loads of time googling the people involved and reading their wiki pages! They were very unique people such as "Ding Dong" of the Hudson Dusters gang and Diamond Jim Brady etc. Ding Dong sounds like what they would call a chinese guy back then but he wasn't. He was called that because he had a big stick and hit you over the head. Hence Ding Dong!:pac: Then Diamond Jim Brady was a guy who could eat non stop and loved jewelery. When he died it was discovered that he had a stomach 6 times bigger than a normal human! Google them and the Hudson Dusters street gang and it is very interesting stuff!

    But back to the book, this is a great read. I was sad when I was finished it, it was that good! I spent half the time when I was not reading the book, reading about the real life people of that era. So this comes highly recommended but make sure you read the first book too. Carr is meant to be writing a third book in this series but the release date has been pushed back. I will definitely get that book when it comes out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Killing Time by Caleb Carr

    After reading The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness reviewed above, I went straight into another one of his gladly. As you can tell, I loved those two books so I wanted to read more of him! The strange thing is that this book is science fiction and completely unconnected to the previous books. So we go from books of historical fiction from 1896 to the future. I thought this should be interesting!

    Interesting it certainly was......

    The other two books that I just reviewed, take their time with the plot and really go in depth. Here the plot races along at breakneck speed. It doesn't make any sense at all!

    In the first 20 pages, we meet Dr Gideon Wolfe who somehow gets mixed up in his friends head getting blown off, assassinations, black helicopters, a prison break and winds up flying on an aircraft with unbelievable speed and stealth. All this when he meets what I can only describe as techno terrorists. They believe they are helping the world. Then he ends up parachuting out and living with a tribe of natives in africa.

    Yes, this book is as weird as I describe. It is all over the place. Its meant to be a take on this worlds need for news and fake news kind of thing. I really should have given up, but as I enjoyed the other books I kept going as its only 240 pages.

    It is so strange that I was constantly saying WTF. Carr should just stick to historical fiction as this book is really bad.I barely made it to the end. I love science fiction but this is one of the worst I have read. Do not go near it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Holocaust by Wolfgang Benz

    Most books about the holocaust are naturally enough written by Jews but in this book we have it looked at by a German. It is subtitled "A German historian examines the Genocide" It is only 176 pages and the author treats it as "just the facts" type of book. Here is what happened without editorial. There is a foreword by Arthur Hertzberg and in it, he describes this book as a first course in the Holocaust.

    The Holocaust is looked at in different chapters dealing with a facet of it such as the Wannsee Conference, taking the civil rights of Jews bit by bit, making the ghettos and then the efficient killing camps. There is also a chapter on the Sinti and Roma Genocides which I didn't really know about. They are the Roma gypsies.

    As you can expect, a lot of the details in this are very hard to read and made me physically sick. I have read Michael Burleighs book "The Third Reich: A new History" and one of the same details that was talked about in that book is in this book also. I was upset when I read it before and now got upset again reading it again. Its one of those things that gets me every time and I don't like to think about it.

    Hard as it is to read, I really loved this book as it is just the details and nothing else. Written by a German makes it interesting too. I think this is a rare book but you should read it if you are interested in history and WWII. I liked the way each facet was looked at in a chapter and there are great details in this book. This is highly recommended but be prepared for the material.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Black Coffee by Agatha Christie (Adapted by Charles Osborne)

    This is a Hercule Poirot novel written by Charles Osborne. I wouldn't read these type of continuations when they are not written by the original author usually. This one is based on a play that Agatha Christie herself wrote so I deem this to be okay. There are new novels that are written by a different author that I would never read as they are not Christie books. This is based on the play Black Coffee so its acceptable to me!

    This play was done in 1930 and Osborne has just written the stage directions and dialogue out in book form so I would think its very close to what Christie intended.

    Sir Claud is a physicist and working on a formula for the British Government and he suspects one of his household has stolen it. The formula is hinted to be like for an Atomic bomb but its never said. He sends for Poirot to come to his house and will keep everyone there until he arrives. Unfortunately poor old Sir Claud gets bumped off before Poirot gets there. The person cant have the formula on them as they know they will be searched but as it is a complicated formula they must have it written somewhere where they know they can get it later. So Poirot has to figure out who is the spy and who killed Sir Claud......

    This is a short but great fun read. Had me baffled for ages but I did solve it before the end! Very clever yet its a simple mystery. Osborne really recreated Christie's writing and I think he did great justice to her in this book. So if you are a fan of her then this is another must read for your collection. It was a lot of fun.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Cigars of the Pharaoh by Herge

    Recently I found my childhood collection of The Adventures of Tintin. I used to be mad about these comics as a kid. Each one was a prized possession and I remember the high of reading it as a kid still!!

    So I said, lets go and read them again!! Tintin is a young Belgian reporter who knows no fear and likes to solve mysteries. Together with his dog Snowy they both have great adventures getting mixed up in all sorts of shenanigans!

    What is great about this comic, was the stories were great, full of adventures and intrigue and a lot of laughs along the way.

    In this tale our intrepid heroes are travelling to Egypt where they find a Pharaohs tomb full of dead Egyptologists and boxes of cigars.....What is going on and who is behind it?

    This story races along in the usual Tintin way and is a whole load of fun. Tintin has loads of stuff happen to him in just a few panels but thats the fun of it! If you have never read these then try this one out and if you have already then read it again! I am glad I did!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Blue Lotus by Herge

    These Tintin graphic novels/comics are standalone but they sometimes continue on plot lines. Here Tintin finds himself and Snowy invited to China in the middle of the 1931 invasion by the Japanese. Tintin is following up the investigation he started in Cigars of the Pharaoh and is on the trail of smugglers. But now there are Japanese spies causing mischief too!!

    Its another really enjoyable adventure with laughs thrown in again. How I love these comics! I loved them as a kid and they really take me back to lying on my bed on a rainy day or out in the garden on a sunny day just enjoying them immensely. No mobiles or internet them days.

    This was written/drawn in 1934 and there was a lot of research done for it. The panels are all really well drawn and put you right in the action. Very much recommended of course!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Black Island by Herge

    Tintin is back in another fun tale! This time he is casually walking in the Belgian countryside when he witnesses a plane land nearby. Tintin offers to help but is shot! While he recovers in hospital he learns the plane went on to England. Tintin goes to England with his dog Snowy to investigate further. He gets framed by the bad guys and the two detectives Thomson and Thompson are on his trail. Tintin eventually finds out the bad guys may be on the Black Island up in Scotland......

    The amount of things that happen to Tintin is crazy. Walking along in the country leads him to another mystery! :pac:

    As usual it is full of adventures and laughs and is a great read. I wish every kid read these comics/graphic novels. They are still so good even though originally written around 1937. I keep saying it but they really take me back to reading them as a kid!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Tintin and the Lake of Sharks by Herge

    I had not read this one when I was a kid and it was because it is adapted from an animated movie made in 1972. Herge only supervised it and it wasnt really written by him at all.

    It is very noticeable as the story is very basic and while the drawing is Tintin like, it is only just in the style of it. The panels are still images from the movie. I enjoyed it anyway as a very quick diversion but I wouldnt really recommend this or read it again. The story is very like a saturday morning cartoon so you can see the difference.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Destination Moon by Herge

    Continuing on in my Adventures of Tintin reading, we have Destination Moon. Here we have Professor Calculus building a rocket to go to the moon and of course Tintin, Captain Haddock and even Snowy the dog will be going along for the trip!! But before liftoff, Tintin and the gang have to deal with a load of spies and intrigue.......

    This was written in 1950 and its amazing how accurate the details are. Of course some things are a bit off but you can see Herge did a lot of research before he started the drawing and story. I really enjoyed this one and this story directly leads on to Explorers on the Moon which is next up......!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Explorers on the Moon by Herge

    This is the follow up to Destination Moon review above and now Tintin and the gang are the first to be on the moon! Why do people always give credit to Neil Armstrong and not Tintin?!! This was written in 1952/53 and was very accurate again in how Herge thought it would be done.

    Those two loveable idiots Thomson and Thompson somehow got on the rocket before liftoff and are now on the mission too! Snowy ends up strolling around the moon with a little oxygen tank on his back so its very funny! Unfortunately there may be trouble for Tintin and the gang as someone else might be on board too and wants to make sure Tintin doesnt get back to Earth.....

    This is a whole lot of fun again with the drawing and story being very good. These 2 stories are excellent and highly recommended.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Secret of the Unicorn by Herge

    Another great Tintin adventure! This was written in 1942/1943 right in the middle of the Nazi occupation of Belgium where Herge lived. Tintin is looking around a local fair and sees an antique model ship for sale. He decides to buy it for his friend Captain Haddock but is immediately harassed by 2 different people wanting to buy it from him. The model ship is called The Unicorn and was actually commanded in real life by Captain Haddocks ancestor. Tintin finds out there are actually 3 model ships and that each contain a scroll that can lead to treasure! An old pirates treasure called Red Rackham that Captain Haddocks ancestor killed in battle! Can Tintin find where the treasure is? The problem is that there are others out to get the treasure too....

    This is a whole load of fun and highly recommended of course. This leads directly on to the next adventure called Red Rackham's Treasure but of course you should read this one first.

    An interesting thing to note about this one is that the last 2 pages have the first appearance of Tintin's iconic outfit. The blue jumper with a white shirt underneath it! He nearly always wears this from now on in the other books/comics.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Red Rackham's Treasure by Herge

    This is a direct continuation of the story started above in The Secret of the Unicorn. Having got the 3 scrolls together from the model ships, they reveal coordinates in the Caribbean where Red Rackham's treasure is meant to be. This story is where we see the first appearance of Professor Calculus, the genius professor who is a bit deaf! He offers them his submarine but Tintin and Haddock decline his offer. However, Calculus stows away on the ship they travel to the Caribbean and has his submarine in pieces with him too! Of course Tintin and Haddock are soon joined by Thomson and Thompson as well!! Will they find the treasure...???

    This is another adventure that is a lot of fun. Make sure you read the Secret of the Unicorn first though!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Seven Crystal Balls by Herge

    This Tintin adventure is one of his darkest tales. When I sat darkest, I don't mean not suitable for kids but maybe just a bit creepy! Seven explorers that have found an Inca tomb in the Andes are now back home but are now falling into mysterious comas and shattered crystal balls are found near them. What is going on and can Tintin get to the bottom of the mystery?!

    As I said, this is a bit darker than the usual tales but is great fun. This story goes straight into the next one called Prisoners of the Sun so make sure you read this one first. As usual, highly recommended!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Prisoners of the Sun by Herge

    This story continues on from the above story The Seven Crystal Balls. Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock are trying to rescue Professor Calculus and travel to Peru. There they continue searching but soon encounter an ancient Inca civilisation.

    The Inca civilisation is kind of based on Machu Picchu and Tintin and the gang find themselves captured in it. This is another story that is a great deal of fun and is a worthy end to the two parter. Again, there are a good few laughs in the adventure and it keeps going until the end. I like these kind of adventure/journey tales where Tintin encounters new places/people.

    Another one that you should read!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Tintin in the Land of the Soviets by Herge

    This is the first ever Tintin tale and its the only one that Herge did not reproduce again in colour. Presumably because it is very crudely drawn and the whole story is about how communism is bad. I enjoyed it as you can see how things developed after this tale. Tintin and Snowy are drawn slightly different as if they were drawn in a rush but its because it is the first one. The story really races along even quicker than the usual Tintin tale with Tintin making propellers with a penknife and cars out of spare parts!! :pac:

    I had never read this one before so it was good to finally read it. Not one of the best at all as it really is just showing how bad Communism is and not much else. I still think you should read it though as it is the first ever Tintin written but much different to what he becomes in later adventures.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Tintin in the Congo by Herge

    This was Tintin's second ever adventure and here he is off to the Congo. Congo was a Belgian colony up until 1960 and from what I gather they ruled it with an Iron fist. This is kind of reflected in this tale as it has a lot of questionable and racist attitudes. The Congolese are shown to be stupid and there is s lot of hunting and animal cruelty. Tintin kills a whole herd of antelope, kills an ape for its skin and stones a buffalo. In an earlier edition he actually puts dynamite in a rhino and blows it up :eek: see pic below

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    So putting these old attitudes aside, its an ok read. Definitely not the best and there's not much to it but I enjoyed it for what it was. This was written in 1930 so I cut it slack for the attitudes in it. I wouldn't really recommend it though unless you just want to read all Tintin's adventures like I am.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Tintin in America by Herge

    This is Tintin's third adventure written in 1931/32 and this time he heads to America to take on gangsters! Here he comes across a tribe of Native Americans too. This is much the same as Tintin in the Congo. He is just a bit on tour rather than anything else but there is a bit more story here. You can see the improvements Herge made as he did more and more stories. They became more complex than the simple early ones.

    Here he goes up against Bobby Smiles who is a rival to Al Capone in Chicago. Smiles heads a group called the GSOC. The Gangsters Syndicate of Chicago! Smiles tries to hire Tintin but of course Tintin wouldn't join the bad guys. He is an all round good guy!!

    I enjoyed this adventure as its a real gangsters era story and Tintin meets native Americans too. Simple fun!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Broken Ear by Herge

    This is Tintin's sixth adventure and here he is searching for a South American statue that has a broken ear. He follows thieves who have stolen it to South America and winds up in the middle of a war. Then he meets a tribe in the forest too.....

    I learned a new word in this. Fetish. I knew one meaning!! :pac: But there is another. Its used here in this context. A fetish is an object usually carved like a statue and it is believed by some tribes people to have magical powers.

    This is more like the later adventures with loads of twists and turns and not just Tintin on tour like some of the previous stories. It is really enjoyable and great fun!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    King Ottokar's Sceptre by Herge

    This is Tintin's eighth adventure and was written in 1938/39. Herge, who is Belgian, had seen the Nazis annex Austria so he used that current event at the time in this story.

    Tintin is strolling along in the local park and finds a briefcase and then decides to return it to its owner. ( I love how these old stories get going!! :D ) The briefcase belongs to a professor who is going to the balkan nation of Syldavia. Tintin ends up going with him and gets mixed up in international intrigue! The King of Syldavia has to have an old kings Ottokar's sceptre on a national holiday or he will have to abdicate in disgrace. Tintin realises that the neighbouring country of Borduria is trying to steal the sceptre so the King will leave and they can move in and annex the country.

    This is a great story with a lot of twists and turns that are a lot of fun. It is also the first appearance of the opera singer Bianca Castafiore. She appears in several more stories. This one is very much recommended!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Crab with the Golden Claws by Herge

    This is the ninth adventure of Tintin and it was written in 1940/41 right in the middle of the Nazi occupation of Belgium. This story is the first appearance of Captain Haddock and here he is a complete drunk whereas later while he loves a drink, he is more sober.

    Tintin is on the trail of opium smugglers and ends up going to Morocco to track them down. This story is good fun and is well worth a read. The first with Captain Haddock makes it stand out and you can see how Tintin and Haddock became friends!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Shooting Star by Herge

    This is Tintin's 10th adventure and is a bit more fantastical in nature than his other stories. By that I mean its a bit more far fetched than usual!! Tintin meets a professor and learns a meteor is heading towards earth. People think it may be the end of the world but it ends up landing in the Arctic ocean. Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock and the professor end up on an expedition to go to it. The meteor is made of a new material so it may be valuable. Unfortunately there is a rival expedition so there is a race on to get to the meteor first! The rivals will stop at nothing to get there first though!

    This is another fun tale that was written in 1942 while Belgium was occupied by the Germans. Herge had originally made the bad guys Americans but that has since been changed. I enjoyed this a lot so it is yet another recommended one.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    Land of Black Gold by Herge

    This is a story that had originally started to be published in 1939 but was interrupted by the Germans invading Belgium! Herge returned to it in 1948 and finished it off. All across Europe car engines are exploding and Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock head off to the Middle East to find out who is tampering with the oil supplies there. Tintin comes across an old enemy from the Black Island story that is causing trouble there......

    This is a lot of fun and has those two loveable idiots Thomson and Thompson proving a lot of laughs through their usual pratfalls! Oliveira de Figueira who was first seen in Cigars of the Pharaoh, appears again in this story. He is the friendly Portuguese salesman! I really liked this story so another one that you should read!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭The White Feather


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    The Calculus Affair by Herge

    This is Tintin's eighteenth adventure and was written in 1954. Professor Calculus has invented a machine that can destroy things by sound waves but those competing countries of Borduria and Syldavia want to kidnap him to get those secrets. Tintin, Haddock and Snowy have to save him and figure a way out of the mess!

    This is a really good story and is like a spy novel with the competing interests vying for new technology. Probably up there with one of Tintin's best adventures.


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