Inver Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Damn, I nearly bought The Other Hand on Saturday with some birthday money but wasn't sure because of the lack of 'blurb'. I shall have to look out for it now! I bought it a while back Janet and is still on my shelf, but the girl in Borders where I bought it said they were selling a lot of them. Glad Mac is giving it such a good thumbs up score. Look forward to reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Mac, The Other Hand sounds like an excellent read, your review was great. I have just added The Other Hand to my wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 Relentless by Dean Koontz Being a writer is a dangerous business… Hostile reviews may have hastened the deaths of some writers, but Cubby Greenwich is made of sterner stuff. At leas, this is what he tells himself, meanwhile obsessing about the scathing review of his latest bestseller by Shearman Waxx in a national newspaper. A feared and therefore revered critic, Waxx has an aura of mystery about him that has carried him far as an arbiter of taste, but the mystery itself is about to break cover. An unexpected encounter with Waxx startles Cubby, but what should be a mildly embarrassing incident triggers an inhuman fury in the critic, who becomes bent on destroying Cubby and everything he loves. For it soon becomes apparent that Waxx is not merely a ferocious literary enemy, but a ruthless sociopath. Cubby and his family are forced into hiding. But the terror has only just begun…it will be relentless. When Cubby finally learns the truth, the worst of his fears seem na Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Dean Koontz is a great writer, I have several waiting on my TBR pile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami Toru Okada’s cat has disappeared and this has unsettled his wife, who is herself growing more distant every day. Then there are the increasingly explicit telephone calls he has started receiving. As this compelling story unfolds, the tidy suburban realities of Okada’s vague and blameless life – spent cooking, reading, listening to jazz and opera and drinking beer at the kitchen table – are turned inside out, and he embarks on a bizarre journey, guided (however obscurely) by a succession of characters, each with a tale to tell. As a beach must feel when the tide retreats, finishing this book leaves me feeling as though something important has left me. Such is Murakami’s way. His soul seems to reach out from the pages and envelope one entirely. I’ve been completely absorbed for most of the afternoon, absolutely unable to put the book down. This novel has had scenes which have disturbed me more than his others, some of the sex has been more explicit and, of the four I have now read, it has been the most…how can I put this?…off-kilter. A friend of mine described Murakami as a magical-realist. I like this description. Regardless of the more graphic content, I think this is a masterpiece. It has made me think much more deeply about the line drawn between the real and the imaginary. I became infected by Murakami’s philosophies and ideas. Admittedly, this has happened with all of his novels. I learnt a lot from this novel, as well. I enjoy history (read: fascinated to the point of obsession), and am now keen to look into the period surrounding the Second World War around Japan, China and the Soviet Union. The descriptions within the novel read as well researched and terrifying. Obviously, I am equally impressed by Jay Rubin, the translator. He also translated Norwegian Wood, which I waxed rhapsodic about a few months ago. He seems to me to be highly skilled in the art of releasing Murakami’s poetic prose in all the glorious colour evident in his works. 10/10 Without a shadow of doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Glad you enjoyed it Mac, its one of my favourites There was some parts that were pretty brutal but the history I found was really interesting and I agree, nothing is lost in translation thanks to Jay Rubin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilywhite Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 When something is rated 10/10 you can't help but want to read it. Great review Mac! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 In The Blood by J A Kerley TV evangelist Reverend Scaler made his fortune from firebrand attacks on the sins of modern America. But Scaler has preached his last sermon after being bound and beaten to death in an apparent S&M session. Detective Carson Ryder has his own problems. He's edgy and unpredictable, seemingly unmoved by the discovery of an abandoned infant in a boat - nearby, a burnt-out shack, a body and signs of a struggle. Scaler's tangled personal life reveals bizarre connections between the cases. And it seems the baby fighting for its life in hospital has powerful enemies. Ryder can't seem to save himself but can he save the life of an innocent child? Jack Kerley is very easy to read and quick to absorb one's attention. I began this novel almost immediately after finishing the Murakami, and started by thinking 'oh no, I'm not going to enjoy this one as much!' mainly because of the difference in style and prose - Kerley is more conversational, along the lines of Coben or Deaver. I've compared him before to Michael Marshall as well. He's a really good crime/thriller writer. I persevered, remembering that I've really enjoyed all of his past novels, and wasn't disappointed. I soon became very happy to be reading about Carson and his partner Harry again, almost as if I were reading about chums of mine. The subject matter deals with TV evangelism and white supremacists, a topic I particularly relish in reading the bad guys getting their just desserts. The story is well paced with snappy dialogue and further development of the recurring characters. I like to watch them grow! All in all, a good book which I finished over three evenings - and I still work 12 hours a day! 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanC_84 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Sounds like a good one, I might have to add it to my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 In The Blood by J A Kerley TV evangelist Reverend Scaler made his fortune from firebrand attacks on the sins of modern America. But Scaler has preached his last sermon after being bound and beaten to death in an apparent S&M session. Detective Carson Ryder has his own problems. He's edgy and unpredictable, seemingly unmoved by the discovery of an abandoned infant in a boat - nearby, a burnt-out shack, a body and signs of a struggle. Scaler's tangled personal life reveals bizarre connections between the cases. And it seems the baby fighting for its life in hospital has powerful enemies. Ryder can't seem to save himself but can he save the life of an innocent child? Jack Kerley is very easy to read and quick to absorb one's attention. I began this novel almost immediately after finishing the Murakami, and started by thinking 'oh no, I'm not going to enjoy this one as much!' mainly because of the difference in style and prose - Kerley is more conversational, along the lines of Coben or Deaver. I've compared him before to Michael Marshall as well. He's a really good crime/thriller writer. I persevered, remembering that I've really enjoyed all of his past novels, and wasn't disappointed. I soon became very happy to be reading about Carson and his partner Harry again, almost as if I were reading about chums of mine. The subject matter deals with TV evangelism and white supremacists, a topic I particularly relish in reading the bad guys getting their just desserts. The story is well paced with snappy dialogue and further development of the recurring characters. I like to watch them grow! All in all, a good book which I finished over three evenings - and I still work 12 hours a day! 9/10 I saw this is Asda the other day, I'll have to pick it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted August 20, 2009 Author Share Posted August 20, 2009 Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein Book Three: Dead & Alive by Dean Koontz A devastating hurricane approaches New Orleans and Victor Helios, once known as Frankenstein, has unleashed his benighted creatures onto the streets. As New Orleans descends into chaos, his engineered killers spin out of control, and the only hope rests with Victor’s first and failed attempt to build the perfect human, whose damned path has led him to the ultimate confrontation with his pitiless creator. But first, Deucalion must destroy a monstrosity not even Victor’s malignant mind could have imagined – an indestructible entity that steps out of a humankind’s collective nightmare with one purpose: to replace us. This is (as the title suggests…) the third book in Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein addendum do-dah. I’d read the first two back when they were released in 2005 whilst down at the cottage in Cornwall – I loved them and have been eagerly awaiting the third instalment for four years, and having read it now hold mixed views on it. I bought it on Sunday and interrupted the book I’m also reading to get at it, and I can’t help thinking that Koontz has banged this one out in a fit to please his fan base. The chapters were short (shorter than his admittedly short chapters usually are) and there was quite a bit happening with quite a lot of characters. What I most enjoyed about the previous two novels was the characterisation of the two detectives and Deucalion, the ‘monster’ himself. There didn’t seem to be enough room in this book to explore them more fully, which I found a bit of a let down, if I’m honest. As usual, the prose was snappy yet poetic and very easy to read, and towards the end I did begin to feel a little involved with other characters, but I’m left feeling a little…deflated, I suppose, after such a promising start and a long wait. Still, there’s the suggestion of more to come, so I shall loyally and patiently await more novels to see if there is further development with these guys (Deucalion is in need of a novel all of his own – he’s pretty cool). So. In all, a bit of a let down, but there you go. Can’t love ‘em all, now, can I? 6/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted August 29, 2009 Author Share Posted August 29, 2009 The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell Sweden, winter, 1991. Inspector Kurt Wallander and his team receive an anonymous tip-off. A few days later a life raft is washed up on a beach. In it are two men, dressed in expensive suits, shot dead. The dead men were criminals, victims of what seems to have been a gangland hit. But what appears to be an open-and-shut case soon takes on a far more sinister aspect. Wallander travels across the Baltic Sea to Riga in Latvia, where he is plunged into a frozen, alien world of police surveillance, scarcely veiled threats and lies. Doomed always to be one step behind the shadowy figures he pursues, only Wallander’s obstinate desire to see that justice is done brings the truth to light. I’m really getting into Henning Mankell’s novels – I’m beginning to think I should really visit Sweden (my best friend’s girlfriend is from there, so I may have an opportunity). Mankell paints a vivid picture of both his homeland and Latvia, the latter sounding distinctly fearsome back in the early ‘90’s. He creates a cold, oppressive atmosphere, cranking up the tension and paranoia as the novel progresses. There are moments where brutal actions take place with such speed and surprise that I’d wondered if I had read it correctly. I’m beginning to care about Kurt Wallander – Mankell has created a very human lead, with plenty of foibles and traits. I like the guy so much that I’ve bought the next four books in the series. I’m expecting a call from my bank any minute – do you think they’d understand if I blamed the BCF entirely? A great read, one I couldn’t put down towards the end. 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Some good reviews mate. I saw another one by our Mr. Kerley down there. May have to make a note after your recommendation for The Hundredth Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child Well, this is the last of this guys books I've had to read - I've gone through them all, now. As usual, this is fast paced, exciting and very easy to read. Reacher is beginning to show signs of ageing, which is reassuring in a developing character, but not of mellowing, so the actions all there still. I wasn't as taken with this novel as mush as I have with some of the others, but then, I'm not going to, am I? They can't all be amazing. I found I cared less for most of the characters than usual, and I got a little bored and with the inevitable part where one of the characters gets to do the Sheet Mambo with the big guy - but then, if it's formula you go for, then it's formula you get, eh? Part of my brain was distracted enough to wonder almost from the start which slender, long-haired, intelligent and staggeringly beautiful woman he was going to do the no-pants-dance with. I always feel this, though. I find it cheapens the book, or film, even. There are books, of course, where it is essential to the plot, or the realism of it, but it isn't the case in this instance, or even this genre. Never mind, eh. I'm rambling. All in all, a standard read. 7/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child Well, this is the last of this guys books I've had to read - I've gone through them all, now. As usual, this is fast paced, exciting and very easy to read. Reacher is beginning to show signs of ageing, which is reassuring in a developing character, but not of mellowing, so the actions all there still. I wasn't as taken with this novel as mush as I have with some of the others, but then, I'm not going to, am I? They can't all be amazing. I found I cared less for most of the characters than usual, and I got a little bored and with the inevitable part where one of the characters gets to do the Sheet Mambo with the big guy - but then, if it's formula you go for, then it's formula you get, eh? Part of my brain was distracted enough to wonder almost from the start which slender, long-haired, intelligent and staggeringly beautiful woman he was going to do the no-pants-dance with. I always feel this, though. I find it cheapens the book, or film, even. There are books, of course, where it is essential to the plot, or the realism of it, but it isn't the case in this instance, or even this genre. Never mind, eh. I'm rambling. All in all, a standard read. 7/10 No Mac your not rambling 'cos I agree with you and I too have read all the Reacher books. Even tho' trhe story is the usual in a sense it was like a yo-yo going back and forth between places you still wanted to finished the book as they are a good read even tho' some books are better than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 (edited) In The Blood by J A Kerley TV evangelist Reverend Scaler made his fortune from firebrand attacks on the sins of modern America. But Scaler has preached his last sermon after being bound and beaten to death in an apparent S&M session. Detective Carson Ryder has his own problems. He's edgy and unpredictable, seemingly unmoved by the discovery of an abandoned infant in a boat - nearby, a burnt-out shack, a body and signs of a struggle. Scaler's tangled personal life reveals bizarre connections between the cases. And it seems the baby fighting for its life in hospital has powerful enemies. Ryder can't seem to save himself but can he save the life of an innocent child? Jack Kerley is very easy to read and quick to absorb one's attention. I began this novel almost immediately after finishing the Murakami, and started by thinking 'oh no, I'm not going to enjoy this one as much!' mainly because of the difference in style and prose - Kerley is more conversational, along the lines of Coben or Deaver. I've compared him before to Michael Marshall as well. He's a really good crime/thriller writer. I persevered, remembering that I've really enjoyed all of his past novels, and wasn't disappointed. I soon became very happy to be reading about Carson and his partner Harry again, almost as if I were reading about chums of mine. The subject matter deals with TV evangelism and white supremacists, a topic I particularly relish in reading the bad guys getting their just desserts. The story is well paced with snappy dialogue and further development of the recurring characters. I like to watch them grow! All in all, a good book which I finished over three evenings - and I still work 12 hours a day! 9/10 Wow! that sounds like my sort of book. I like you are interested in subject matters about White supremacists and getting their 'payback' so to speak. I have just added this to my little black book and will keep an eye out in the future. I noticed you said that you read previous works by him. Should they be read in order? CW ***Edit**** I have just gone on my library's website and reserved this book. They do not have any others by him so I hope not reading previous book will hinder the reading pleasure or storylines. Edited September 9, 2009 by catwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris This has proved to be a very gripping book. I have to admit that, when I first opened the package, the covers of the books put me off a little, thinking I'd gone and involved myself with having to read three books that looked like they might be for teenage girls (they might still be, I don't know!). However, regardless of whom they're aimed at, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. The flawed heroes, the dubious small-town characters, the air of menace, even the way Harris doesn't particularly dwell on our heroine's special talent made me...believe in this book. It's worth a shot, even for those who might approach them with trepidation. I would put this in the same classification as the novel by Matt Ruff (Bad Monkeys). Not a book I'd seek out but, by gum, am I glad I did!! (Bad Monkeys is a book I read just prior to joining this site, so I've not reviewed it here - it's top-drawer, first class ace and brilliant). 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 So glad you've enjoyed it Mac, they're fab books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Glad you enjoyed it Mac, I think the book covers might be a bit off putting, I prefer the Mass Market cover. Harper is an excellent character and I liked the fact too, that the book does not concentrate on Harper's special talent, its part of her and the book is about Harper as the whole package (if that makes sense). I hope you enjoy the rest of the series Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Okay. Here's the thing. I got stuck half-way through Grave Secret and floundered quite seriously with my mojo. I picked up Transition by Iain Banks and need to write a review for it (loved it, though). I'm now on The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson and I'm loving this, too. Two of my friends died at the weekend (one only 60, the other only 43), and this has knocked me for six. I'm also a bit perturbed by the outrageous racist jokes that my colleagues tell each other in the faculty office and I'm going to have to blow a whistle, which I'm not looking forward to. This is a school, for Pete's sake! I'll get back on the job shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 Transition by Iain Banks A world that hangs suspended between triumph and catastrophe, between the dismantling of the Wall and the fall of the Twin Towers, frozen in the shadow of suicide terrorism and global financial collapse, such a world requires a frim hand and guiding light. But does it need the Concern: an all-powerful organisation with malevolent presiding genius, pervasive influence and numberless invisible operatives in possession of extraordinary powers? On the Concern’s books are Temudjin Oh, of mysterious Mongolian origins, an unkillable assassin who journeys between the high passes of Nepal, a version of Victorian London and the dark palaces of Venice under snow; Adrian Cubbish, a restlessly greedy City Trader; and a nameless, faceless state –sponsored torturer known only as the Philosopher, who moves between the time zones with sinister ease. Then there are the renegades: the bandit queen Mrs Mulverhill, roaming the worlds recruiting rebels to her side; and Patient 8262, under sedation and feigning madness in a forgotten hospital ward, in hiding from a dirty past. And these vivid, strange and sensuous worlds cricle and collide, the implications of turning traitor tot eh Concern become horribly apparent, and an unstable universe is set on a dizzying course. Now, that’s a lot of blurb. The book itself is brilliant. I am a huge fan of Iain Banks – there’s only been A Song of Stone which I couldn’t stand – and I always become childishly excited when a new novel hits the shelves. I loved the build up of the character of Mrs Mulverhill (cool name, once you read it), I loved the development and characterisation, I loved the language. I loved the book. I miss the book. I might well read it again. It’s clever, exciting, fast paced, witty (as per) and thought-provoking all in one. Truly good. 9/10 easily. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson Excellent book. I had been on tenter hooks waiting for this, the third instalment of Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. Lisbeth Salander is a wonderful heroine in what is, once again, a marvellously sharp thriller from start to finish. Read the first two. Then read this. It’s ace. 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Hi Mac! How are you? I recently read The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks - the first book of his I've read in about 20 years - and it reminded me what a great author he is, and I can't think why I've been away from his books for so long. Transition sounds great, and I'll be looking into getting this and more Banks books in the new year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 The White Lioness by Henning Mankell In peaceful southern Sweden Louise Akerblom, an estate agent, pillar of the Methodist church, wife and mother, disappears. There is no explanation and no motive. Inspector Wallander and his team are called to investigate. As Inspector Wallander is introduced to this missing person's case he has a gut feeling that the victim will never be found alive, but he has no idea how far he will have to go in search of the killer. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela has made his long walk to freedom, setting in train the country's painful journey towards the end of apartheid. Wallander and his colleagues find themselves caught up in a complex web involving renegade members of South Africa's secret service and a former KGB agent, all of whom are set upon halting Mandela's rise to power. Faced with a world in which terrorism knows no frontiers Wallander must prevent a hideous crime that means to dam the tide of history. I seriously lost my mojo, didn't I? It's been nearly a month and a half reading this book! Even so, I enjoyed it. Mankell's writing has a bleak quality to it, slightly detached, as though observing with a clinical eye. This is now the third Wallander novel I've read and the character developments are enough to make me continue reading the series. Has anyone seen the TV series with Kenneth Brannagh? Is it worth me getting them on DVD? These do feel like superior crime thriller's, so - if you're into crime - I would recommend this fella. 7/10 I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted January 3, 2010 Author Share Posted January 3, 2010 Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay Dexter Morgan appears to be the perfect gentleman. He leads a normal, quiet life working as a forensic officer for the Miami Police. He has a nice, shy girlfriend and is liked by her young children. But Dexter has a secret hobby. He's an accomplished serial killer. So far he's killed dozens of people and has never been caught, because he knows exactly how to dispose of the the evidence. And there are those who would rather he wasn't caught at all, because Dexter is a serial killer with a difference. He only kills the city's bad guys. Then Dexter's well-organised life is thrown into chaos. Another serial killer is invading his territory - and he wants Dexter to come out and play... What a superb d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Oi, we're in 2010 now.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.