Bobblybear's Book List - 2014

[BSchultz19]

It depends on which ones you read. Not all of them are horror - think of The Shawshank Redemption for instance.  He writes a pretty wide range of novels....I'm sure there will be something you'd enjoy, rather than be scared by.

 

 

I would sugest Shawshank Redemption also The Green Mile or 11/22/63.  Nothing scary   His latest, Mr. Mercedes was good too.

 

Regarding The Invisible Ones, have you read King's Thinner?  That one is a tad scary, but really good. 

Thank you! I will check those out 

[bobblybear]

Hi bobbly bear I have put Pandora's Star on my wish list. Thanks!

 

Hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Regarding The Invisible Ones, have you read King's Thinner?  That one is a tad scary, but really good. 

 

I read Thinner years ago, and would really like to read it again. I remember the basic storyline, but not the finer detail. I do remember enjoying it though.

[pontalba]

 

I read Thinner years ago, and would really like to read it again. I remember the basic storyline, but not the finer detail. I do remember enjoying it though.

 

Yup, that was a good one.

[Anna Begins]

Hope you enjoy it.

 

 

 

I read Thinner years ago, and would really like to read it again. I remember the basic storyline, but not the finer detail. I do remember enjoying it though.

That's my favorite King  So far.

[bobblybear]

Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie

As I’m reading a book I try to make some rough notes, because it can be quite a while between finishing a book and writing a review. It’s very telling that the only note I made for this one was “Rambling nonsense”, so forgive me if this isn’t a very good review, as I don’t remember many of the details.

Saleem Sinai is the narrator, and he tells us the story of his life, from childhood through to the present time. The main thread of his tale is his life growing up in India, and being one of the Midnight Children – that is, born on the day of India's independence at a few minutes past midnight. The many children born at this time, are all bestowed with special powers – Saleem’s is the gift of telepathy.

I struggled so much through this, and in the end I gave up with only a few chapters to go. It wasn’t all bad – there were some sections that I really enjoyed, but a lot of them – the majority – were just a struggle for me. it seemed like there was no consistency, and the story moved from one thing to another and rambled on. Some of that was the way it was written and some of that was the story itself. The characters were numerous, and not very appealing (to me, anyway), which made it even more difficult. This is definitely a marmite book; I’m one of those who didn’t enjoy it, but I can still see why some do.

 

1.5/6

[julie]

Wow, Bobbly !

 That's a pretty low rating . I perfectly understand, though. Everyone likes different books. I have it on my Kindle, but have yet to even open it  . I guess I'll have to be in the proper mood to start it .

 Did you read any of Rohinton Mistry's books ( like A Fine Balance ?) . I really loved that one, but it was a struggle to keep reading it, since there were so many really tragic things in the book . Very difficult to keep on reading ,but I'm glad I did in the end . If it would have been a library book ,I would have never finished it . I usually feel more obligated to keep reading if it's a book I buy . 

[Athena]

It's a shame you didn't enjoy it BB, but like Julie said, everyone loves different books.

 

I also feel more obligated if it's a book I bought, to keep reading it (excluding free Kindle books and such).

[bobblybear]

Wow, Bobbly !

 That's a pretty low rating . I perfectly understand, though. Everyone likes different books. I have it on my Kindle, but have yet to even open it  . I guess I'll have to be in the proper mood to start it .

 Did you read any of Rohinton Mistry's books ( like A Fine Balance ?) . I really loved that one, but it was a struggle to keep reading it, since there were so many really tragic things in the book . Very difficult to keep on reading ,but I'm glad I did in the end . If it would have been a library book ,I would have never finished it . I usually feel more obligated to keep reading if it's a book I buy . 

 

Yeah, it is a very low rating, but I just couldn't get into it. It's the only Rushdie book I have attempted so I don't know if his style is similar throughout his other books. Julie, when you do start it, the first 20 pages was an absolute struggle. After that it picked up a bit, but then just dropped off (for me, anyway). No, I haven't read anything by Rohinton Mistry - is that books of a similar genre?

 

 

It's a shame you didn't enjoy it BB, but like Julie said, everyone loves different books.

 

I also feel more obligated if it's a book I bought, to keep reading it (excluding free Kindle books and such).

 

I don't like giving up on books, even if they are freebies as well, which is probably a bit silly. But sometimes, a book is so bad that you just don't have any choice but to give up.

[julie]

Bobbly

 The Mistry books are also set in India, other than that, I don't know if they are similar in any way to the Rushdie book .

[bobblybear]

Thanks Julie, I shall look into them once my TBR pile becomes more manageable.

[bobblybear]

So far behind in reviews......trying to catch up!
 
The World Without Us - Alan Weisman

What would happen to our world if humans vanished? As in, not killed off by something which would also affect other organisms, but if we all just disappeared in the blink of an eye?

 

I was expecting a very broad brush approach, with a lot of talk about how the greenery would fight back and cover everything before long, but instead it focused on some very specific areas and scenarios.

 

Among things discussed are how (obviously) nature would start to claim back the infrastructure of cities, etc, and how so much of the infrastructure is reliant on constant human intervention. For example, water would overrun underground trainlines in a matter of hours without people there to monitor and control pumps etc. Would our disappearance would have a strong impact on evolution, and could formerly extinct animals return in our absence? With no humans there would be no war - what impact would this have?

A lot is covered about the impact people have had on the planet as we have evolved and developed. What about all the plastic we have left behind in the ocean which will be there many centuries after we are gone, or petrochemical and nuclear plants – if we just vanished, what would happen to the surviving animals and would it take evolution or mutation of the remaining species to survive it?

All in all a very interesting read, and one I would like to refer back to at some point. There was simply too much detail to absorb all at once, but it's very clear that the author has done a lot of research. He did go off on some tangents which weren't initally straightforward to connect to the core topic, but I really liked the uniqueness of subjects covered. It can come across quite stern about what damage we are doing. However, it is told in a relatively non-preachy manner, which made it more enjoyable to read.

 

5/6

[pontalba]

BB, glad you enjoyed the Weisman book!  You've brought out something interesting too.  The fact that he isn't preachy, and doesn't talk down to his readers.  As in YOU SHOULDOR SHOULDN'T.........!    He handled it nicely. 

 

Great review!

[Athena]

Great review BB ! I'm so glad you liked the book.

[bobblybear]

Thanks Pontalba and Athena.   The quickest way to put me off a topic is to get all preachy about it, so thank goodness he wasn't like that!

[bobblybear]

Mr Mercedes - Stephen King

Bill Hodges is a recently retired detective who is struggling to adjust to his newly acquired free time. He is slowly getting addicted to booze and daytime TV, and is toying with the idea of suicide to escape it all. Whilst wallowing in his misery, he receives a taunting letter claiming to be from the killer in an unsolved case. The case involved a Mercedes being driven into a crowd of people lining up outside a job centre, killing several and injuring more. The letter piques his interest, and he begins an independent investigation into identifying the killer and preventing the possibility of more casualties.

 

From the start, we know who the killer is, so this isn’t a mystery novel, but rather a detective novel. The chapters change between the detective and the killers point of view, so we get familiar with both their lives, and their backgrounds. It started off brilliantly and for the most part it managed to keep the pace but it lacked something. It was definitely readable (I finished it in a weekend), but there wasn't a huge amount of excitement to it. I've read recently that it's to be the first of a trilogy. I shall reading the sequels, but probably won't rush to buy them as soon as they come out.

 

4/6

[Anna Begins]

You're just now reviewing Mr. Mercedes???   J/K I didn't even write one, although it was just too hard without giving spoilers, beyond the description of the book.  I agree with the something missing part, but I've thought that about some of his other books too.  I think his reputation supersedes him.  What's up with the cover, do you think?  I assume you have the one with the umbrella and raining blood?  Interesting about it becoming a trilogy, I'd read them, totally.

Anyway, have you finished Sycamore Row? *roll eyes*

Edited August 6, 2014 by Anna Begins

[BSchultz19]

Mr Mercedes - Stephen King

 

Bill Hodges is a recently retired detective who is struggling to adjust to his newly acquired free time. He is slowly getting addicted to booze and daytime TV, and is toying with the idea of suicide to escape it all. Whilst wallowing in his misery, he receives a taunting letter claiming to be from the killer in an unsolved case. The case involved a Mercedes being driven into a crowd of people lining up outside a job centre, killing several and injuring more. The letter piques his interest, and he begins an independent investigation into identifying the killer and preventing the possibility of more casualties.

 

From the start, we know who the killer is, so this isn’t a mystery novel, but rather a detective novel. The chapters change between the detective and the killers point of view, so we get familiar with both their lives, and their backgrounds. It started off brilliantly and for the most part it managed to keep the pace but it lacked something. It was definitely readable (I finished it in a weekend), but there wasn't a huge amount of excitement to it. I've read recently that it's to be the first of a trilogy. I shall reading the sequels, but probably won't rush to buy them as soon as they come out.

 

4/6

This sounds interesting. It may be a good way to introduce myself to King's work considering its not horror and not too exciting (I always end up scared )

[pontalba]

Good review, BB.  Def one I want to get to, in time.

[Athena]

Great review, BB! I'd like to read the book at some point, as well. But I'm not in a rush, there are other Stephen King books I want to get to, first.

[Alexi]

Every Stephen King review I read just makes me sadder I am yet to read one of his books! I must change that before the year is out. Great review BB.

[bobblybear]

You're just now reviewing Mr. Mercedes???   J/K I didn't even write one, although it was just too hard without giving spoilers, beyond the description of the book.

I know - I'm terrible at writing reviews promptly. Then I go back to it, realise I have forgotten so many of the details, which puts me off even longer. I have a few days off work, so I'm hoping I can catch up on some.

 

Anyway, have you finished Sycamore Row? *roll eyes*

Cheeky! It's always obvious when I'm struggling with a book - I seem to read it forever.

 

 

This sounds interesting. It may be a good way to introduce myself to King's work considering its not horror and not too exciting (I always end up scared )

Yeah, there's no horror at all in this one, but I wouldn't say it's the best of his work. I still prefer a lot of his earlier books, but unfortunately they are more horror-based.

 

 

Good review, BB.  Def one I want to get to, in time.

Thanks, Pontalba.

 

 

Great review, BB! I'd like to read the book at some point, as well. But I'm not in a rush, there are other Stephen King books I want to get to, first.

Thanks Athena - I think there are better Stephen King books out there. I wouldn't choose this one as being indicative of his work. Which other ones would you prefer to read?

 

 

Every Stephen King review I read just makes me sadder I am yet to read one of his books! I must change that before the year is out. Great review BB.

Thanks, Alexi. I would recommend starting with The Stand or IT. They are two of his favorites (not only mine, but many of his readers).

 

Ok, I've added last month's purchases to my thread....they certainly do add up, don't they!

 

Sycamore Row - John Grisham

The Legacy of Heorot - Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes

Columbine - Dave Cullen

Dyatlov Pass - Alan K Baker

Lucky Planet: Why Earth is Exceptional - And What that Means for Life in the Universe - David Waltham

Stealing Phoenix - Joss Stirling

The Knot - Mark Watson

A Day At The Office - Matt Dunn

Rejoice! Rejoice! Britain in the 1980s - Alwyn Turner

[Athena]

Have fun with your new purchases !

 

I know - I'm terrible at writing reviews promptly. Then I go back to

Thanks Athena - I think there are better Stephen King books out there. I wouldn't choose this one as being indicative of his work. Which other ones would you prefer to read?

The Stand, The Shining and 11/22/63 are the top three I want to read most I think, because they've got such good praise.

[bobblybear]

They are all very good, and also pretty diverse. I'm sure you'll enjoy them all.

[bobblybear]

The Uninvited - Liz Jensen

The book opens with a 7 year old girl taking a nailgun to her grandparents – killing one and blinding the other. At first this seems like a one off case of this type of violence, but this is not to be.

 

Hesketh Lock is the narrator. His job is to investigate cases of corporate sabotage and interview any whistleblowers. He provides a very unique perspective; he has Aspergers Syndrome, which is beneficial to his job as it enables to see any underlying patterns of behaviour in an objective manner. However, the Aspergers has been a detriment to his personal relationships (his ex-wife referred to him as “a robot made of meat” ), although he still remains close to his stepson, Freddy.

 

While investigating two separate cases in Taiwan and Sweden, more instances of children turning against their parents start to occur. Hesketh begins to see patterns in these events and also some strong connections to the corporate sabotage cases he is currently investigating.

 

Soon Freddy starts acting strangely and Hesketh must dig even deeper, to find what is causing these behavioural changes in order protect himself and his son.

 

Hesketh is an interesting and likeable narrator, and I don't think that the book would have worked half as well had he not been the one telling the story. He provides an unusual viewpoint, and his personality is quirky and appealing.

There’s a very menacing feel throughout– you can feel the suspense building but it’s not overt. Rather it's hidden away, but due to how the story is told, you can feel the bleakness and hopelessness of it. It's not a thriller by any means, because due to Hesketh's narration it's told in an almost dispassionate manner, but it works to make it more creepy.

 

I really enjoyed reading this – in fact it may be the best of the year so far. I’ve never read any Liz Jensen before, but will most definitely be keeping an eye out for any others by her.

 

6/6

[Athena]

They are all very good, and also pretty diverse. I'm sure you'll enjoy them all.

Thanks .

 

@ the review

Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed the book .