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Wow, I haven't updated this in a long while.

 

Things have been rather busy for me of late at work and reading in the evenings has consequently taken a back seat (see my Game of Thrones thread!). 

 

By the time I've got in from work, done a few odd jobs and have something to eat I've mainly ended up crashing in front of the TV watching something on DVD (a re-watch of the new Battlestar Galactica is now being followed by Northern Exposure).

 

I've picked up a few books over the last few months and am now reading Charlotte Street, by Danny Wallace, as I'm guessing there will be no swords or dragons in this one . . .

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For the last couple of weeks I've been reading The Rook, by Daniel O'Malley and I must say it is a cracking good book.

 

As has been the way for me this year I've not had much reading time over the last month or so, but from tomorrow I am off work for two weeks and I'm hoping to spend some of that time finishing this. 

 

If you've read Ben Aaronvitch's Rivers of London books - and liked them - this is better (so far!  And not that the latter are bad either!).

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^ Thanks! (both!).

 

I finally finished The Rook in the small hours of this morning (again, the time taken to read it isn't a reflection on the quaility of the book, it's purely down to my poor reading record at the mo).

 

Review to follow at some point, not sure what to go onto next . . .

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Wow, I finished a book in a week!  (That hasn't happened for a while . . .). 

 

In fact, looking back over the last few years, this is the best start I've had since I've been posting on here (3 books by January 21st).

 

The book in question is Adventures With the Wife in Space by Neil Perryman, (a Doctor Who fan who talked his wife into watching all the episodes of the original run of the series - even the ones that no longer exist!).

 

Review to follow at some point . . .

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The Rook

By Daniel O'Malley

 

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Dear You, the body you are wearing used to be mine.

 

The premise of The Rook is quite interesting; Myfanwy Thomas can't remember who she is but she has to learn fast because, as she soon discovers, she is one of the senior figures in a government sponsored organisation called The Checquy, a sort of secret service for people with very special abilities.  As Myfanwy quickly discovers, The Checquy protects British interests both at home and abroad from a variety of strange and unusual threats but whilst investigating these as part of her day-to-day job, she also has to watch her back because her memory loss was no accident and one of her colleagues may be responsible . . .

 

For the most part I really enjoyed The Rook; it has some interesting ideas and a colourful array of characters.  The focus of the book is squarely on the central character and her predicament; Myfanwy doesn't know who she is or anything about the world around her. Information comes from an interesting source and is drip fed to both Myfanwy and the reader alike, so you discover about her world and life as she does.  The source is an interesting plot device that is used to good effect, as a more straight forward explanation of the rather detailed workings of the Checquy might have turned into a rather laboured affair, but having the chapter's alternate between exposition and the on-going plot - in the way it does - works well.

 

Having said that, it is easy to see that this is a first novel.  The plot is without any great surprises and the resolution is also a little weak, but the joy of this book is in the vivid picture O'Malley paints of Myfanwy's world.  The Checquy is an establishment as British as George Smiley's Circus or Hogwarts (and probably sits somewhere in between). 

 

Having read a number of London based fantasy novels over the years (and I blame Neil Gaiman for them all) The Rook shows a lot of promise and I look forward to future instalments of this series.

 

Recommended.

Edited by Raven
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Just started Breakfast at Tiffany's, something I've been meaning to read for years.

I had seen (and loved) the film of Breakfast at Tiffany's so many times, but the book is quite different; more harsh and realistic. Good read though  :smile:  .

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I read the whole of Breakfast at Tiffany's in two sittings last night* (or rather, last night and early this morning.  Not sure what time I got to bed, but I suspect it was after 2am!).

 

I liked it and I think the bitter-sweet ending is better than the one in the film.  Review to follow at some point (I really should write a few as I'm getting a little behind . . .).

 

Time for a change of pace, my next book is Dark Eden, by Chris Beckett.

 

*Not that it is very long (100 pages, good sized type!).

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