Steve's Bookshelf 2013

[Karsa Orlong]

Great review, Steve!

Thank you

 

 

I never remember that the book has been made into a movie. I don't think I want to watch it, I so do not see Dustin Hoffman as Babe.

Oh you should, you really should. It is a fantastic film

 

I'm so, so happy you enjoyed this novel! I did think you might, but one can never be 100% sure.

well thanks for suggesting it. I thought it was fantastic. I'll read another off your list later in the year, I expect.

 

 

Edit: So, have you already pre-ordered the Rush book?!

Not yet. I'm thinking I might get it from the merch stall at one of the gigs in May

[frankie]

Thank you

 

 

 

 Oh you should, you really should. It is a fantastic film

 

Oh crap. Well maybe I need to, if you recommend itso eagerly. I'll look out for it

 

 

 well thanks for suggesting it. I thought it was fantastic. I'll read another off your list later in the year, I expect.

 

You're very welcome! I'm pretty stoked overall, with the books you've read off my two lists and the ratings you've given them And yes, I'm expecting you to read another book off the list, too!

 

 

 

 

 Not yet. I'm thinking I might get it from the merch stall at one of the gigs in May

Ah yes. Lucky bar-steward, for getting to go and see the band! *jealous*

[Karsa Orlong]

You're very welcome! I'm pretty stoked overall, with the books you've read off my two lists and the ratings you've given them And yes, I'm expecting you to read another book off the list, too!

 

 

Hmm, so you've read one from last year's list and . . . that's it. Hmmm, I might wait until you've caught up before I read any of the others on your list  

 

[Karsa Orlong]

Then buy!!! 

 

 

Don't . . . tempt . . . me!

 

 

That was my William Shatner voice again

[frankie]

Hmm, so you've read one from last year's list and . . . that's it. Hmmm, I might wait until you've caught up before I read any of the others on your list  

Shut up! I read one book off the list BUT I also read The Lions of Al-Rassan. And you know I'm going to read Replay from last year's list, and that I'm probably going to read at least three books off this year's list.

 

 

Don't . . . tempt . . . me!

 

 

That was my William Shatner voice again

Pics of the corset or didn't happen!

 

 

 

[Janet]

Don't . . . tempt . . . me!

 

 

That was my William Shatner voice again

Aaaaargh! 

[Karsa Orlong]

Shut up! I read one book off the list BUT I also read The Lions of Al-Rassan. And you know I'm going to read Replay from last year's list, and that I'm going to read at least three books off this year's list.

 

Witnessed!

 

 

 

Pics of the corset or didn't happen!

 

 

I only wore the wig.  It was a quick impression

[Karsa Orlong]

I'm becoming intrigued by Wool (David Howey), especially as there have been posters advertising it splashed all over the tube stations I pass through each day.  One for the wishlist, I guess, as I am still sticking to The Plan . . .

 

 

Plan update:

 

Marathon Man - William Goldman - finished 03/02/13
The Kingdom of Bones – Stephen Gallagher
The Mozart Conspiracy – Scott Mariani (next in Ben Hope series)
The First Men In the Moon – H G Wells
The Great Hunt – Robert Jordan (next in Wheel of Time series)
Heresy – S J Parris (first in Gordiano Bruno series)
Post Captain – Patrick O’Brian (next in Aubrey/Maturin series)
The Heresy of Dr Dee – Phil Rickman (next in Dr Dee series) - currently reading

Dead Beat – Jim Butcher (next in Dresden Files series)

 

 

 

[Timstar]

I'm becoming intrigued by Wool (David Howey), especially as there have been posters advertising it splashed all over the tube stations I pass through each day.

It does sound intriguing! A good spot.

[bobblybear]

I'm becoming intrigued by Wool (David Howey), especially as there have been posters advertising it splashed all over the tube stations I pass through each day.

 

I've had this on my wishlist for a little while. Someone on here raved about it, and it does sound interesting. I just need to get through my older TBR books.

[Timstar]

I read Stand by, Stand by by Chris Ryan which I noticed you reviewed a while back.

Stand By, Stand By by Chris Ryan

It's a decent read, although there are many rough edges. This was Ryan's debut work of fiction, but I haven't read any others so don't know if his style improves. Again, I don't want to spoil any major plot points, but there was one particular life-changing moment for our Geordie to which his only response was "Oh no!" - which made me laugh. Of course, saying 'oh no' on its own isn't a problem but, given the context and the presence of the exclamation mark, it just didn't seem very convincing. Considering the depth of knowledge he brings to the subject, and his obvious efforts to lend authenticity to the situations, I would hope that Ryan has worked on his characterisation/dialogue in subsequent novels.

 

Also, the latter stages of the book rely on your suspension of disbelief at one huge coincidence that happens half way round the world in Colombia. It was a little too convenient, imo.

 

6/10

I pretty much agree with you on that, I thought the sudden change from NI to Colombia was a bit strange and couldn't see how he was gonna wrap up the story, then I was like 'oh... that's how' lol.

 

The 'oh no!' moment made me laugh as well, it certainly wasn't dealt with in a realistic way.

 

This is the 3rd Ryan book i've now and by far the worst. He definitely improves in his later novels.

[Karsa Orlong]

This is the 3rd Ryan book i've now and by far the worst. He definitely improves in his later novels.

 

 

I don't think I'll be returning to his books any time soon -  I read the follow up to this one, Zero Option, and liked it even less  

[Karsa Orlong]

Dammit!  Why did The Coldest War have to come out now, when I'm trying to stick to the plan

 

I'm going to have to get it.  There's no choice.

[Timstar]

I don't think I'll be returning to his books any time soon -  I read the follow up to this one, Zero Option, and liked it even less  

That's fair enough they are not the best, I won't be reading any more of the Geordie Sharp novels, but I have a few of the others including Ultimate Weapon which is supposed to be his best.

 

Dammit!  Why did The Coldest War have to come out now, when I'm trying to stick to the plan

I still have Bitter Seeds on my wishlist, which tempts me every time I see it.

[Karsa Orlong]

I found out today that they closed another branch of Waterstone's near the office.  That's two out of the three in the vicinity

 

Anyway, I went to the big Oxford Street branch on the way home and got:

 

The Coldest War (Milkweed Tryptich Book 2) by Ian Tregillis

 

and

 

The Kingdom of Bones by Stephen Gallagher

 

The latter is part of The Plan, so I'm happy with that, but the former isn't (mainly cos I forgot it was coming out so soon ) so I may have to go off-plan to read it

 

Also, as I had a '£5 off when you spend £20 or more in February' voucher, I got HMS Surprise, the third in Patrick O'Brian's 'Aubrey/Maturin' series (seeing as the second book is in The Plan).  I was considering the third 'Wheel of Time' book, but it was £9.99(!!!!) and I'm still not entirely convinced about that series, so I'll see how I feel after I've read the second one (which is also in The Plan . . . ).  I gave the voucher to the assistant and she said she'd never seen one before, but it all ended well

[frankie]

Witnessed!

 

But please be patient and remember that they only have The Winter King at the library, and there's still no word on the Storm Front which I asked them to get a copy of.

I only wore the wig.  It was a quick impression

 

Well I suppose that's all for the better!

 

 

I found out today that they closed another branch of Waterstone's near the office.  That's two out of the three in the vicinity

 

That's crappy news

 

Anyhow, good luck with your reading plan, it'll be interesting to see if you can stick to it

[Karsa Orlong]

But please be patient and remember that they only have The Winter King at the library, and there's still no word on the Storm Front which I asked them to get a copy of.

 

You didn't notice I'd removed the 'probably' from your post then?

 

Anyhow, good luck with your reading plan, it'll be interesting to see if you can stick to it

 

I hope so . . . apart from sneaking in The Coldest War . . .

[frankie]

You didn't notice I'd removed the 'probably' from your post then?

 

No! But I figured that even if I say 'probably', you'll take it as 'definitely', so I was prepared

I hope so . . . apart from sneaking in The Coldest War . . .

 

Well it's only one title.. And where's the second Dexter book, you haven't put that down on your schedule? I'm sure you only forgot

[Timstar]

An addition to a plan isn't as bad as a substitution or subtraction

[frankie]

An addition to a plan isn't as bad as a substitution or subtraction

 

Agreed! It's only adding, not taking books off the list

[Karsa Orlong]

And where's the second Dexter book, you haven't put that down on your schedule? I'm sure you only forgot

 

I didn't forget, I'll get to it soon enough

 

 

An addition to a plan isn't as bad as a substitution or subtraction

 

True!  Adding more books to the TBR pile wasn't part of the original plan, though (apart from the two I'd included in the plan itself).  So now, rather than getting seven books off the TBR list and buying two, I'm buying four, so only a reduction to the TBR list of three books overall . . .

[Timstar]

True!  Adding more books to the TBR pile wasn't part of the original plan, though (apart from the two I'd included in the plan itself).  So now, rather than getting seven books off the TBR list and buying two, I'm buying four, so only a reduction to the TBR list of three books overall . . .

The art of 'book-buying justification' is indeed a noble one.

 

Just noticed this which I'm sure wasn't there a couple of days ago.

[Karsa Orlong]

 

Just noticed this which I'm sure wasn't there a couple of days ago.

 

It's been on there for while, at least since I read the first book.  I think I mentioned it in the Bitter Seeds post in last year's log

[Timstar]

It's been on there for while, at least since I read the first book.  I think I mentioned it in the Bitter Seeds post in last year's log

oh...

[Karsa Orlong]

Book #9:  The Heresy of Dr Dee by Phil Rickman

 

 

 

From Amazon:

 

All talk is of the End-time... and the dead are rising. At the end of the sunless summer of 1560, black rumour shrouds the death of the one woman who stands between Lord Robert Dudley and marriage to the young Queen Elizabeth. Did Dudley's wife, Amy, die from an accidental fall in a deserted house, or was it murder? Even Dr John Dee, astrologer royal, adviser on the Hidden and one of Dudley's oldest friends, is uncertain.

 

Then a rash promise to the Queen sends him to his family's old home on the Welsh Border in pursuit of the Wigmore Shewstone, a crystal credited with supernatural properties. With Dee goes Robert Dudley, considered the most hated man in England. They travel with a London judge sent to try a sinister Welsh brigand with a legacy dating back to the Battle of Brynglas. After the battle, many of the English bodies were, according to legend, obscenely mutilated.

 

Now, on the same haunted hill, another dead man has been found, similarly slashed. Devious politics, small-town corruption, twisted religion and a brooding superstition leave John Dee isolated in the land of his father.

 

 

Thoughts:

 

The Bones of Avalon, the first book in this series and the first of any by Phil Rickman that I had read, was a cracking historical mystery with more than a hint of the supernatural about it, as Queen Elizabeth's astrologer and adviser on the occult, Dr John Dee, travelled to Glastonbury to try and locate the bones of King Arthur.  That book, in turn, led me to Rickman's 'Merrily Watkins' series, similarly creepy mysteries only set in the present day. 

 

I think the blurb above says more than enough about the plot of this book without me going into any further detail.  It seemed, to me, to be an appropriate time to read it, having just read another book (Traitor) in which Dee featured heavily.  What I have really enjoyed about Rickman's two Dee books is the way in which true events are woven so seamlessly into his stories.  Just take Robert Dudley, in this case.  Queen Elizabeth's supposed one true love but married to Amy Robsart, who had to remain away from court because of the Queen's dislike for her, and went a year without seeing her husband, she died from a fall down a short flight of stairs, leaving her husband free to marry Elizabeth.  But was it an accident, or did he arrange her murder?  The subsequent scandal is entwined brilliantly with this story, as is the history of the Battle of Brynglas, and the alleged rising of the dead from grounds around that hill, a mystery brought about by the presence of a young woman and her handicapped brother who can divine where the bones are buried.

 

 

We are moved - I know this - according to the configurations of the stars and the interplay of planetary rays.  We are moved like chesspieces on a board, an oft-times I think of myself as the knight, placed with an oblique mathematical precision, but unpredictably.  The knight, who never knows which direction he'll be made to face next.

 

'My name's John Dee,' I said.

 

Standing betwixt the oak wood and the doorway.  Anna Ceddol looked at me with small curiosity.  Sion Ceddol scowled and picked up a stick.  The rain fell upon the chessboard.

 

 

 

As with all of his books that I've read so far, Rickman seems to have an innate ability to create an atmosphere of forboding in his tales.  Whilst they are rarely scary, they never fail to be creepy, and he ties together very well all the various plot threads as the story reaches its climax.  Rickman's style is sometimes deliberately obtuse, meaning that you have to read carefully at times to pick up on everything he is trying to convey.  I don't think this is bad writing, it's a stylistic choice, and his language is chosen carefully to pass on a sense of the period and the way people spoke then.  Many of his stories focus on ignorance and intolerance towards others' beliefs, and this is no different.  It's a cracking read.

 

 

8/10

Edited February 8, 2013 by Karsa Orlong