Karsa Orlong

I finished Dracula last night. I expected a lot of things from this book: I expected the diary writing style, I expected multiple viewpoints, I expected flowery language. I hoped it might be scary. I didn't expect it to be boring! It started really well, with Jonathan Harker's journey to Dracula's castle, his subsequent encounters with the Count and his 'wives'. Even when the story got back to the UK it was still diverting enough. But it dragged on and on ... and on and on ... There was, in my opinion, nowhere near enough story to fill 450 pages. There was so much filler, so much hand-wringing and speeches that lasted forever and went nowhere. I probably should've given up, but I soldiered on to the end, and even that overstayed its welcome and was nowhere near as thrilling as it should have been. I guess part of the problem with writing a story in a diary/letter format is that you know, seeing as one of the characters is writing in said diary, that they are going to make it through that particular situation alive. For some reason, it worked really well for me in Dark Matter, but made me want to claw my eyes out in Dracula. Disappointed. 5/10

Crikey, I haven't listened to ELP for years. Used to love them, especially Karn Evil 9 Excited today, cos my Rush Time Machine blu-ray is on the way

Absolutely gutted that they're calling it a day

Let Me In - as remakes go, that was very good!

Thanks I won't be unhappy if I don't reach it, but it's worth a try.

Well I would review Michelle Paver's Dark Matter here, but I've already said most of what I wanted to say in the book-specific thread here. Suffice to say, I thought it was very good indeed. One thing I didn't mention in that post was the presentation: from the cover design to the photos at the start of each chapter, it all adds to the atmosphere of isolation and dread that claws at you throughout the book. This, it has to be said, is something the Kindle just can't do, so I'm glad I got the paperback on this occasion. And yes, after finishing it last night, when I turned the light off, I did have a few uneasy seconds in the dark. That's the biggest compliment I can pay to this book - it reminded me that fear of the dark is something that will always be with us! 9/10 When I finish Dracula it'll be my 63rd book of the year, which means I have to read another 13 this year to match last year's total. Unlikely, I reckon, but I'll give it a go!

Go the Scandanavian route (if you haven't already) and give Jo Nesbo a try.

I can't remember the last time I read a book in one day. In fact, I would probably have done it in one sitting if I could have. Okay, it's quite short, but even so, I just loved it. I haven't read a good ghost story in years, so I found it really refreshing. I thought the journal style worked really well. Ironically, I'm also reading Dracula at the moment, which - of course - is also written in diary/letter style, although from multiple viewpoints. Perhaps it wasn't quite as scary as I'd hoped it would be, and perhaps that's just me becoming hardened to these things over the years (cos, let's face it, if it isn't a Japanese girl with long black hair clawing her way out of a tv set, it just isn't scary anymore!). I was trying to remember the last book that really scared me and I struggled. I'd probably have to go back thirty years to when I first read The Shining or Salem's Lot. This one wasn't quite up there with those, but I felt tense all the way through it, and I was turning the pages as fast as I could. I liked the ending, because it didn't go the way I expected. I bought the book on a whim when I saw it on the Richard & Judy Book Club stand in Smiths, and I'm really glad I did. Another 9/10 here

Watched 7x05 last night - definitely one for any Buffy/Angel fans out there

I'd go with The Lions of Al-Rassan, A Song for Arbonne or Tigana, mate. They are all stand-alone novels, and all are wonderful.

The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons I kind of read this one against my better judgement. I loved Hyperion so much (see up-thread) that I was worried the sequel would not do it justice. I probably shouldn't have been so concerned. Fall picks up almost immediately where the first book left off, with our group of travellers at the Time Tombs and the galaxy beyond on the brink of war. Due to its very nature, and the fact that the travellers' stories were all told in the first book, Simmons has to adapt a more traditional approach to the story, although he does manage to throw in a slight twist in that a 'new' character is seeing the events through his dreams. It works pretty well, and allows both the story on Hyperion and the war out in The Web to be told with a liberal dosage of cliffhangers. I really enjoyed it. I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. There was something so perfect about Hyperion that I could almost have lived without knowing all the answers. That Fall comes so close to achieving the impossible is a huge compliment to Simmons's ability, I think. 8/10 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins At the time I bought this I didn't know it was a YA novel, and I don't know whether I would have chosen not to buy it if I had known beforehand. I think I'm pretty much alone in not liking the book, and I won't be bothering with the sequels so am probably coming at it from an uninformed viewpoint. I guess it's supposed to be an allegory but, even then, I found the idea of teenagers being forced into a 'kill-or-be-killed' situation a little unpalatable. It's written well enough, if a little repetitive, but it wasn't for me. Still, I bought this for £1.99 for the Kindle, so it was worth it just to see what all the fuss is about. 6/10 Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf by David Gemmell Another sequel. Set ten years after the events of the first book, Waylander is living with his younger daughter in a secluded cabin when he discovers that someone has put a bounty on his head, and a number of assassins are on his trail. Who they are, what lays behind it, and how Waylander deals with it, all make up another tightly plotted heroic fantasy adventure from the late Mr Gemmell. As always, the strength of his writing is in his wonderfully flawed characters. Angel and Miriel are particularly memorable this time around, and he gives all of the supporting characters ample time to develop. There is, perhaps, some similarity between Gemmell's novels, with sieges and heroic deaths aplenty and, as such, I will probably leave a gap between reading his books. Familiarity breeds contempt and all that 8/10

I just found this review of A Song for Arbonne: http://www.fantasybooknews.com/category/guy-gavriel-kay/

It starts on FX UK next Monday by the looks of it - shall have to set the Sky box

I met up with some friends last night who were on their way to Mr Wilson's solo gig at Shepherds Bush Empire. They prefer Insurgentes to G4D. Madness.

I've watched the first episodes. It's very bland, but there were hints at some interesting developments at the end of the last episode I saw, so I'll keep watching for a bit.

Crikey, might have to get that myself

Impressions by Lunatic Soul

Over the weekend I finished David Gemmell's Waylander II, which was very good, and last night I started Dracula. I've owned it for years - can't believe I've never read it until now

I was in Smiths and Michelle Paver's Dark Matter caught my eye, as it had the 'review of the week' on the Richard & Judy Book Club stand, so I bought it, although I did check it wasn't one of her kids' books beforehand (after my mistake with The Hunger Games). Very intrigued by this book, so it may go straight to the top of my TBR pile

It's about the same as the Keyboard, by the looks of it - there's a comparison table if you scroll down this page: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eReader-eBook-Reader-e-Reader-Special-Offers/dp/B0051QVESA/ref=amb_link_357727622_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0BSDVXTHFGE09VB4XEAZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1322986102&pf_rd_i=507846 Curious that the capacity for books is 500 less, though

Finished The Hunger Games. I didn't like it much, but then I don't think it was aimed at my age group Shan't be rushing to read the second book

Both fantastic songs! Currently listening to Upside Down by those wonderful Norwegians, Gazpacho

Hey Pixie, I'm really liking Grace for Drowning - much better than Insurgentes. I did amuse myself by buying it off iTunes, though - I'm sure Mr Wilson would like to smash up my iPod, as he seems to loathe the poor things

I reckon he clenched his jaw the most in the auditions. I'm amazed he hasn't broken his teeth yet.

Yeah, I'm watching. It's pretty good. For my money, there aren't quite enough scares in it. I was losing interest towards the end of season 1 but the season 2 opener was much better.