ian Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 The Flood by Ian Rankin Mary Miller had always been an outcast. Burnt in a chemical mix as a young girl, sympathy for her quickly faded when the young man who pushed her in died in a mining accident just two days later. From then on she was regarded with a mixture of suspicion and fascination by her God-fearing community. Now, years later, she is a single mother, caught up in a faltering affair with a local teacher. Her son, Sandy, has fallen in love with a strange homeless girl. The search for happiness isn't easy. Both mother and son must face a dark secret from their past, in the growing knowledge that their small dramas are being played out against a much larger canvas, glimpsed only in symbols and flickering images - of decay and regrowth, of fire and water - of the flood. My Thoughts This book is a re-edition of the very first book that Ian Rankin wrote. It comes with a very nice introduction from the author, explaining where he was in his life at the time. He does explain that he is slightly embarrassed by this first effort at writing a full time novel. I can partly see what he means; there are a lot of literary devices used in this book, which while clever, did tend to detract from the story, as they stopped me from reading by reminding me that I was reading a story, if that makes sense. It's not bad, but perhaps it spends too long trying to be abstract rather than just getting on with it. The ending is seriously abrupt, I actually thought my copy was missing a few pages at first. 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Beating Anger: The 8 point plan for coping with rage by Mike Fisher We all feel angry at times. It can be an uncomfortable emotion. Here is the perfect book to help anyone from 16-75 years old to beat their anger—or help anyone else to do the same. It explains what anger is, what triggers it, the various different types of anger, how to heal emotional aggression, and the 8 Golden Rules of Anger Management. My Thoughts I got hold of this book, as I was fed up of leaving work most nights with a raging headache and in a really bad mood. I'll be honest, I don't usually find self-help books to be terribly helpful myself, but there is always some hugget of wisdom inside that does get me thinking. I found that with this book. I can't complain - it cost me 1p on Amazon! Reviewing books like this is difficult - they are either going to help you, or they aren't. I guess it all comes down to your favoured learning type. For me, there were too many exercises that I had to do that I felt I didn't have enough information on beforehand. At it's best, it did give me a few pointers on the roots of why I am often so angry. Knowing that enables me to take a step back. 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. It's a shame the book wasn't able to help you more, though I'm lgad you can at least try to figure out why you feel angry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. It's a shame the book wasn't able to help you more, though I'm lgad you can at least try to figure out why you feel angry. Thanks, Gaia. It feels good that I've done something positive towards it - and I'm too old at 45 for teenage angst anymore!! I think I just needed a push in the right direction again, and that book did that for me. I'm now reading "Revival" by Stephen King - my birthday present from my brother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I'm now reading "Revival" by Stephen King - my birthday present from my brother I haven't read this one yet (and I don't own it, yet), but I hope you enjoy it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 Revival by Stephen King A spectacularly dark and electrifying novel about addiction, religion, music and what might exist on the other side of life. In a small New England town, in the early 60s, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister, Charles Jacobs. Soon they forge a deep bond, based on their fascination with simple experiments in electricity. Decades later, Jamie is living a nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll. Now an addict, he sees Jacobs again - a showman on stage, creating dazzling 'portraits in lightning' - and their meeting has profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil's devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings My Thoughts. The thing that I like about Stephen King is that unlike a lot of horror writers, he doesn't just write to scare us. He writes about life, using horror themes to talk about them obliquely. His books have become less horror over the years and have strayed more into the territory of Dean Koontz (but without the dogs). This book could seem quite slow - it tells the story of Jamie Morton's life, from the time he meets his new minister in the 60's to the present day. As always, King breathes real life into his characters. Charles Jacobs is probably one of the most sympathetic "baddies" he has ever written. The fact that the story is, for the most part, so slowly developed and ordinary makes the ending more shocking. It did for me anyway. I know that the ending has left a lot of people feeling short-changed, but I loved it. Stephen King has never given pat endings with all the loose ends tied up... why would he start now? 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed this book . I should read some more Stephen King books myself, though I don't own this one, I think Doctor Sleep will be the next one I read, since it's related to The Shining which is the last Stephen King book I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed this book . I should read some more Stephen King books myself, though I don't own this one, I think Doctor Sleep will be the next one I read, since it's related to The Shining which is the last Stephen King book I read. I'll happily admit to being biased when it comes to Stephen King, but Doctor Sleep is excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I'll happily admit to being biased when it comes to Stephen King, but Doctor Sleep is excellent! That's great to hear ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen The Great God Pan is a novella written by Arthur Machen. On publication it was widely denounced by the press as degenerate and horrific because of its decadent style and sexual content, although it has since garnered a reputation as a classic of horror. Machen's story was only one of many at the time to focus on Pan as a useful symbol for the power of nature and paganism. (From Goodreads) My Thoughts At the beginning of Revival by Stephen King, this book is cited as one of the influences, saying something like " a book that has haunted me all my life". well, I couldn't let a comment like that go unexplored, so I found it on Guttenberg project and downloaded it onto my Kindle. It's a very short book, so I was able to read it quite quickly. There are huge quantities of atmosphere in this; Gothicness (if such a word exists) just drips off the page, and I lapped it up. I was surprised that this was considered degenerate at the time of publication; the "sexual content" is only vaguely hinted at.(unless the version I was reading has been cut). The story jumps around a little between several different narrators, all of whom know some of the story, but not it seems all of it. This helps increase the sense that something horrifying is happening that most of us know nothing about. There are some really obvious parallels between this and "Revival" and I presume that the beautiful valley that is described at the start of this, is the inspiration for a similar valley that appears towards the end of Revival. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 I forgot to say - I also as a result of both of the last two books, downloaded the entire works of H.P Lovecraft. I've not read anything by him up to yet, and I was able to get them for free as a European (who said being in the EU is a waste of time!). The books are still subject to copyright in the US. I want to read them now, but part of me is saying I should save books like this till the depths of winter. The thought of reading good, old-fashioned horror on a dark, snowy evening is almost too good to resist. It all depends whether my willpower will last that long now they sit on thr Kindle saying "READ ME"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 The Great God Pan sounds interesting, I'm glad you liked it. It's great you were able to download the H.P. Lovecraft books for free, yay for Europe. I have a couple of paperbooks with short stories by him, and I've got a short story collection on my Kindle. I might have some of his works through Project Gutenberg too, I'm not sure of that exactly without looking it up (I'm on my laptop at the moment). I haven't read any of his works yet, I think, but I hope you enjoy them ! I agree, horror seems to go quite well with a dark snowy evening in autumn or winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I forgot to say - I also as a result of both of the last two books, downloaded the entire works of H.P Lovecraft. I've not read anything by him up to yet, and I was able to get them for free as a European (who said being in the EU is a waste of time!). I'll let our anti-EU parties know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. The young Gascon d'Artagnan and the legendary musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis are ready to sacrifice everything for love, glory and the common good. The wicked machinations of Cardinal Richelieu and his accomplice, the magnetic Milady de Winter, propel the devoted friends across seas and battlefields from masked balls to a remote convent, in order to defend the honour of the Queen and the life of Constance Bonacieux, d'Artagnan's true love. Dashing, knockabout, romantic, violent, chilling and tragic, this buoyant new translation of The Three Musketeers brings Dumas' masterpiece to joyful life. My Thoughts I approached this book with some trepidation. You never know what you're going to get with a classic book, do you? It might be written in arcane language; slow and incomprehensible. However, this reads, apart from some obviously more archaic language, like a modern thriller. The pace of the book is fast, there is plenty of action and humour. There is only one section that I struggled with slightly. This was the chapters that dealt with d'Artangnan's going back to find his friends after his trip to London. It felt a bit like Dumas was filling a bit. Yes, you get a lot of back-story for Aramis, Porthos & Athos, but it felt different from the rest of the book. Still a great read though - I will need to pick up Dumas' other books later in the year. 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 The Three Musketeers was my first reading circle book on the forum - http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/4212-the-three-musketeers-by-alexander-dumas/?hl=musketeers- blimey, that's six years ago now! I've just read back through what I said about it at the time, and I realise that I still haven't read either of the sequels or The Count of Monte Cristo but they're still on my (ever expanding) wish list, so I might bump them up now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed this book . I have it on my TBR, though I don't know how well I'll fare with the older language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed this book . I have it on my TBR, though I don't know how well I'll fare with the older language. Gaia, I found the language to be much easier than I anticipated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K.Rowling) When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. Strike is a war veteran - wounded both physically and psychologically - and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get - and the closer he gets to terrible danger . . . My thoughts Having read the Harry Potter and The Casual Vacancy, I ought to know what I'm going to get by now. Tightly plotted, great characters, and a twist at the end I didn't see coming. Like all good books, by the time I was past the first couple of pages, I was completely immersed in the world of Cormoron Strike. His back story is revealed slowly, throughout the book, which made more of an impact. I believe this is going to be a series? Can't wait! 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Gaia, I found the language to be much easier than I anticipated. That's great to hear . I'm glad you enjoyed The Cuckoo's Calling so much. The second book is called The Silkworm if I'm not mistaken . I have the former on my TBR (as well as The Casual Vacancy). I loved the Harry Potter books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I have The Cuckoo's Calling and The Casual Vacancy on my TBR pile. Unfortunately they just keep getting pushed aside in favour of other books. Maybe now that I'm doing the Book Jar thing, I may read it sooner rather than later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 I was hoping to eat into the TBR pile I have, but I was mugged by the mother-in-law the other day, and she gave me the last Jack Reacher book - Personal. She's been asking about it ever since. I think she's desperate for me to read it so she can talk to me about it! Well, I don't need much persuation to read a Jack Reacher book, so that's what I'm reading now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 (edited) Personal by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #19) Jack Reacher walks alone. Once a go-to hard man in the US military police, now he’s a drifter of no fixed abode. But the army tracks him down. Because someone has taken a long-range shot at the French president. Only one man could have done it. And Reacher is the one man who can find him. This new heartstopping, nailbiting book in Lee Child’s number-one bestselling series takes Reacher across the Atlantic to Paris – and then to London. The stakes have never been higher - because this time, it’s personal. My Thoughts Jack Reacher walks around random American town/City. Jack Reachers stumbles upon criminal activity/military buddy. Reacher investigates said criminal activity / military buddy, which may/ may not take him to a foreign city. Teams up with intelligent, sexy female, who he may or may not sleep with at some point. Has fights with various henchmen, usually 4 or 5 on one and beats them to a bloody pulp. Makes intuitive leaps of logic that turn out to be correct. Fights and beats boss man. Walks out of town without a word. When you pick up a Jack Reacher book, you pretty much know what you're going to get. Is there anything new in this one? Not really. Did I still like it? Yup, pretty much! There are still probably better written than most similar books - Clive Cussler, I'm looking at you - and at the end of the day, they are still a lot of fun to read. Maybe it's a man thing; but there is something satisfying in reading about bad guys getting their comeuppance. They say every man who has ever put on a dinner jacket / tuxedo since the 60's, looks at himself in the mirror and imagines himself as James Bond. I'll bet there are quite a few who day-dream about being a little bit like Jack Reacher. I admit it, I wouldn't mind it! So, overall, yes this series is formulaic and predictable. But it's still fun to read, and that still counts for me. 3/5 Edited June 1, 2015 by ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 The Yard by Alex Grecian Fans of "The Interpretation of Murder" and "The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher" will love "The Yard", a gripping crime fiction novel from debut author Alex Grecian, set in atmospheric Victorian London. During the aftermath of the Jack the Ripper case, Scotland Yard's brand new Murder Squad are faced with their most gruesome crime scene yet. "The Yard" will take you into the dark side of Victorian London and offers a fascinating insight into the birth of CSI. A new era of fear is just beginning...1889, London. The legacy of Jack the Ripper has cast a shadow over the city. Victorian London is in the grip of a wave of crime and murder, with its citizens no longer able to trust the police to protect them. The newly formed Murder Squad of Scotland Yard, made up of just twelve detectives, battles in vain against the tide of violence and cruelty. When the body of a Yard detective is found in a suitcase, his lips sewn together and his eyes sewn shut, it becomes clear that not even the police are safe from attack. Has the Ripper returned - or is a new killer at large? Walter Day, the squad's newest recruit, is assigned the case and finds a strange ally in the Yard's first forensic pathologist, Dr Bernard Kingsley. Can they find the murderer before it's too late? Or is London at the mercy of a serial killer even deadlier than Jack the Ripper? My Thoughts I brought this book in impulse along with the follow up "The Black Country". This got my attention, as I was born and brought up in the black country, so it had obvious associations for me. There dodn't seen any point in getting the second without reading the first book before it, so... First up, if you are a stickler for historical accuracy, then this book isn't for you. Some of the dialogue especially doesn't seem quite right,but in the end, for me at least, reading is about enjoyment, and I was able to put aside those points and just enjoy the story, which flows along nicely enough. The identity of the murderer is revealed fairly early on, leaving us with a police procedural. There are some interesting characters, whose back-story's are revealed at certain points so that we can see their motivation at the time. I wanted to dive straight into the second book, but I like a bit of delayed gratification sometimnes, so I'm going to split the two books by reading a bit of real victorian fiction: Little Dorrit. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. I will need to pick up Dumas' other books later in the year. 5/5 The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favourite books. I haven't read The Three Musketeers yet, but I daresay if you liked this, you'll love TCoMC! It's absolutely brilliant, and despite it's massive size, it zips along pretty quickly. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K.Rowling) Having read the Harry Potter and The Casual Vacancy, I ought to know what I'm going to get by now. Tightly plotted, great characters, and a twist at the end I didn't see coming. Like all good books, by the time I was past the first couple of pages, I was completely immersed in the world of Cormoron Strike. His back story is revealed slowly, throughout the book, which made more of an impact. I believe this is going to be a series? Can't wait! 5/5 Great review! I really need to bump this up my TBR pile. I don't think I've read a bad thing about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I've had The Yard sitting on the shelf for over a year - a friend gave it to me for my birthday but I've been put off reading it by the comments about the lack of historical accuracy. I think I've been spoiled by Patrick O'Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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