Jump to content

Mac

Advanced Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,344

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Mac

    Mac Reads (started 2009)

    in Book Blogs - Discuss your reading!

    Posted

    Vlad by C C Humphreys

     

    Trust nothing that you've heard...Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and darkest sensuality.Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his story not of a monster but of a man...and a contradiction. For the one they called 'The Devil's Son' was both tyrant and lawgiver, crusader and mass slaughterer, torturer and hero, lover and murderer.

    Vlad's extraordinary tale is told by those who knew him best. The only woman he ever loved and whom he has to sacrifice. His closest comrade and traitor. And his priest, betraying the secrets of the confessional to reveal the mind of the man history would forever remember as Tepes - 'The Impaler'

    Thanks to Nollaig for steering me onto this book. It grabs ones attention from the outset, drawing one into the 15th Century with all the sounds and sights almost visceral, almost physically transporting one there. The character of Vlad - indeed, Vlad's closest comrades and 'friends' - are interesting in that, despite the terrible deeds they perpetrate, as the reader I can't help but...erm...empathise with them somewhat. Should this worry me? Vlad has qualities I search for in my favourite characters in novels. He's loyal, honourable, strong minded and a pragmatist. He's determined, noble and fearless. Is this a man I would have loyally followed into battle were I of this time? The thought chills me a little, but it's a possibility...lurker.gif

     

    Vlad himself commits some disturbingly gruesome acts throughout the book, and orders many others, but Humphreys' skills are such that it doesn't seem gratuitous (although they are disturbing). The writing is fast-paced, a little idiosyncratic, which I enjoyed, and accessible. The chapters jump from major incident to major incident, sometimes missing out huge chunks of the years passing, but this does not affect the novel negatively in any way. In fact, out of necessity, this ramps up the pace of the novel.

     

    I can find nothing wrong with this novel at all. I loved it. It's up there with my favourite books now (along with The Historian, funnily enough). Thank you, Noll!

     

    10/10

    Mexicola's Reads of 2010

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    I'm SOOO happy you liked the Count, Mexicola, and that you now count it as one of your faves! :D Yay!!!

     

    Oh, Marcia...Mexicola Counts it amongst her favourites? I might need to calm down a bit here...laugh.gif

     

    It's up there for me, as well. But don't get me started on Mr Dumas's name...doh.gif Good work, Mexicola. Good work. x

    Nursenblack's Book List 2010

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    I agree that it's a shame you've had to put The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo down - the trilogy is up there towards the "Favourite Books of All Time" shelf for me. Maybe give it another go later on? I guess if everyone liked the same stuff the world would be a terribly boring place, eh!

     

    Fahrenheit 451 is a book I read when I was younger, probably a teenager, and I remember loving it. I enjoy Bradbury's writing a lot, although I've not read anything by him for a long while. I have a first edition of a collection of his short stories to have a go at, somewhere in Mount TBR.

     

    Hope you're very well.

     

    MM

    Top 5 Favourite Characters

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    Five of my favourites are:

    • Myron Bolitar from Harlan Coben's novels
    • Dexter Morgan from Jeff Lindsay's novels
    • Carson Ryder from J A Kerley's novels
    • Chief Inspector Alan Banks from Peter Robinson's novels (because it's possible he's based on me...)
    • Jack Reacher from Lee Child's novels

    It's interesting how these are all connected in some way to the Police, isn't it...

    Five facts...

    in General Chat

    Posted

    Here are five more facts about yours truly:

     

    • I am allergic to acorns. This proves problematic, as most of my furniture is made from acorn pulp and my diet largely consists of, you've guessed it, acorns! doh.gif
    • Simon, my left knee, is currently having a crisis of faith after watching a past episode of Britain's Got Talent.
    • Everything I write is a lie.
    • Especially that last fact.
    • When in Rome, I do as the Romans do and set about conquering the world and bringing religion to the barbarous hoards on the outlying regions.
    • Standing at six feet tall, I am entered into the Guinness Book of Records as being the tallest midget that's ever lived.

    There you go. I'd better get back to me beans...mocking.gif

    Kelly's Reading 2010

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    I haven't read anything by him, is there something in particular you'd recommend? :) I am doing pretty well thank you, I hope you are too!

     

    Great reviews, Kelly. As for Christopher Fowler, you could give The Devil in Me a go. It's a really good collection of his short stories. Or you could try Spanky (which isn't as rude as the name suggests!) which is about one of the angels booted out of heaven when old Nick was cast out. It's brill and lots of dark fun.

     

    Also, maybe you'd like I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan. This is a great book as well - again, lots of black humour.

     

    Pip pip. xx

    Authors who haven't disappointed..

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    Apart from his latest release (which doesn't count, because it was the first one he wrote and it was rejected first time) Harlan Coben and others would be:

     

    Elizabeth Kostova

    Audrey Niffenegger

    Michel Faber

    Glen Duncan

    Jeff Lindsay

    Stieg Larsson

    Haruki Murakami

    J A Kerley

    Michael Marshall

    Iain Pears

    Iain Banks (well, once maybe)

     

    Ooooh, there's too many! biggrin.gif

    Popular authors re-releasing older books

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    Funnily enough, my firm favourite Harlan Coben released one of his first novels...erm...Play Dead, or something(?) straight to paperback last month or so and so I bought it immediately, as is my wont. I couldn't get through the first bunch of chapters, full of clichés, poorly constructed paragraphs, clunky, pointless sexploits - so I gave it away. Totally unlike me. And it's spoilt my respect a little for Mr Coben - but what can you do?

     

    I'll still buy his next one...readingtwo.gif

    Summer Holiday songs.

    in Music / TV / Films

    Posted

    Yo, CW. How about...

     

    Broken Head by Catherine Wheel

    The Cat by Jimmy Smith

    Love Spreads by The Stone Roses

    Protection by Massive Attack

    Richard III by Supergrass

    Cay's Cray's by Fat Freddy's Drop

    Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

    Make it Wit Chu by Queens of the Stone Age

    Dirty Mouth by Hot Hot Heat

    Leaders of the Free World by Elbow

    Open Heart Zoo by Martin Grech

    Drops of Jupiter by Train

    Man, now that's an album I wanna hear! wink.gif (none of my tunes up there, either!) x

    Your Book Activity Today - Thread 12

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    I've begun reading Vlad by CC Humphreys, which comes highly recommended from Nollaig and I'm very much enjoying it so far finding it compelling and idiosyncratic in style, which I like. So this is a good thing. I keep casting an eye over my lovely bookshelves as well, thinking 'Ah, my lovely books...' which makes me wonder if I need to get out more...rolleyes.gif

    Pets ~ Part Two

    in General Chat

    Posted

    Snofee will bear the embarrassing shave with dignity, I'm sure Clement, bless her. Scratch behind her ears from me, eh? This is the first period in my life where I have not had a dog. I miss having one, but my schedule doesn't allow me time and to have one would be cruel. Funnily enough, I'm thinking of setting up my own business so I can have a dog. I love 'em.

×
×
  • Create New...