That Difficult First Novel - reviews

[Athena]

Pretty books ! I love seeing photos of books. I hope you enjoy all of those books. We have some people here that are fan of Steven Erikson's series, I've only read the first one (in the exact same edition you have, Gardens of the Moon) but it confused me when I read it. My English wasn't very good at the time so a lot of the words confused me . I plan to re-read it some time to see if I would understand it a bit better a second time around.

 

Do you read any yourself? Either Marvel/DC, or just graphic novels in general?

Yes, I've read some graphic novels (and have some more on my shelves). I haven't read whole lot of Marvel nor DC, I did read a Superman bindup in May. Comic books for adults in the Netherlands are generally not so easy to find, you have to go to a specialist shop (which are only in certain cities) and often they cost a lot too. I can't afford it. I'm not sure if I would enjoy more Marvel and DC stuff, but I found the Superman bindup in my library so I could borrow it for free. I liked it but I was confused in some places, I guess it might not have been the best book to start with for someone who hasn't read any Superman comics before. I have seen a lot of films and TV show episodes but I guess that's not the same. I sometimes read manga or graphic novels or comics but most of my reading are 'textbooks' or illustrated books. I do like reading manga and graphic novels now and then, but I wouldn't want it to be the sole 'meat' of my reading. I do read some Donald Duck comics now and then too, that's mainly for nostalgic reasons as I used to read them when I was much younger. I've been re-reading my old bindups. I do find superheroes interesting and since I like a lot of the films, I wouldn't mind reading some of the comic book stuff, but aside from the Superman bindup, I haven't yet found something else at the library. I guess not everything gets translated, as well. I'm happy enough reading English as well but it's harder to find here, unless you buy it online. The library does have English books but I don't think they have English comicbooks or graphic novels (nor manga).

[Signor Finzione]

Pretty books ! I love seeing photos of books. I hope you enjoy all of those books. We have some people here that are fan of Stephen Erikson's series, I've only read the first one (in the exact same edition you have, Gardens of the Moon) but it confused me when I read it. My English wasn't very good at the time so a lot of the words confused me . I plan to re-read it some time to see if I would understand it a bit better a second time around.

 

Erikson? Did someone say Erikson?

 

Gardens of the Moon confused me the first time I read it too, and my first language IS English.

 

Liam, I see you have GotM and Memories of Ice, which are books #1 and #3 in the Malazan series. While they do actually follow on from one another, I'd definitely recommend getting hold of #2, Deadhouse Gates. Although DG is about a different set of characters and doesn't necessarily need to be read before MoI, it's a fantastic book and one of the best in the entire series (in my humble opinion).

 

ETA: Ignore that. I've just noticed Deadhouse Gates hiding away in your second picture!

 

ETA2: Congratulations (and good luck!) with your upcoming wedding! How exciting!

Edited July 30, 2015 by Signor Finzione

[Athena]

Liam, I see you have GotM and Memories of Ice, which are books #1 and #3 in the Malazan series. While they do actually follow on from one another, I'd definitely recommend getting hold of #2, Deadhouse Gates. Although DG is about a different set of characters and doesn't necessarily need to be read before MoI, it's a fantastic book and one of the best in the entire series (in my humble opinion).

Deadhouse Gates is in another of the photos .

 

Ah you saw it in the end . It's nice of you to mention it though .

Edited July 30, 2015 by Athena

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

Erikson? Did someone say Erikson?

 

Gardens of the Moon confused me the first time I read it too, and my first language IS English.

 

Liam, I see you have GotM and Memories of Ice, which are books #1 and #3 in the Malazan series. While they do actually follow on from one another, I'd definitely recommend getting hold of #2, Deadhouse Gates. Although DG is about a different set of characters and doesn't necessarily need to be read before MoI, it's a fantastic book and one of the best in the entire series (in my humble opinion).

 

ETA: Ignore that. I've just noticed Deadhouse Gates hiding away in your second picture!

 

ETA2: Congratulations (and good luck!) with your upcoming wedding! How exciting!

 

I read GotM on my Kindle, got half way through and then got confused and kinda gave up. Managed to pick the three up from a charity shop, so thought I'd give them another go. Will give them a go after I've finished reading the first book in the Mistborn trilogy. Can generally only have one fantasy book on the go at once, or I get confused!

 

They also had (annoyingly enough) Book 5 and Book 8 (I think), which I didn't pick up due to the gaps in the middle.

 

Thanks for the kind words - Saturday 8th of August, so not long now!

[Signor Finzione]

I read GotM on my Kindle, got half way through and then got confused and kinda gave up. Managed to pick the three up from a charity shop, so thought I'd give them another go. Will give them a go after I've finished reading the first book in the Mistborn trilogy. Can generally only have one fantasy book on the go at once, or I get confused!

 

Ah, fantasy is pretty much the only thing I read these days, so I've gotten pretty adept at juggling different worlds and characters. There are a couple of other Malazan books which can potentially be read on their own before GotM, such as Deadhouse Gates and Midnight Tides (which are, coincidentally, two of my favourites!)

 

 

Thanks for the kind words - Saturday 8th of August, so not long now!

 

You must be really excited! At least all the hard work and planning is at an end - all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the big day.

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

Still a few more things to do. Mostly geared around the wedding cake, as my missus and her Mum are making it. It needs to be decorated next week. Excited but will be glad when it is finished - been a bit all consuming.

 

Have you read the Mistborn trilogy or The Gentleman 'person of dubious parentage' series, out of interest? Working my way through the 1st of Mistborn, and have eyed up the second series for a bit (and have two of the books, as you can see from the pics).

[Signor Finzione]

Still a few more things to do. Mostly geared around the wedding cake, as my missus and her Mum are making it. It needs to be decorated next week. Excited but will be glad when it is finished - been a bit all consuming.

 

Have you read the Mistborn trilogy or The Gentleman 'person of dubious parentage' series, out of interest? Working my way through the 1st of Mistborn, and have eyed up the second series for a bit (and have two of the books, as you can see from the pics).

 

I found that when I got married I was just glad to have it over and done with. Romantic I am not.

 

 

 

Still a few more things to do. Mostly geared around the wedding cake, as my missus and her Mum are making it. It needs to be decorated next week. Excited but will be glad when it is finished - been a bit all consuming.

 

Have you read the Mistborn trilogy or The Gentleman 'person of dubious parentage' series, out of interest? Working my way through the 1st of Mistborn, and have eyed up the second series for a bit (and have two of the books, as you can see from the pics).

 

I've read all three of the Gentlemen B@stards series - I loved the first two but was underwhelmed by the third (hasn't stopped me from pre-ordering the fourth, though). They're a lot of fun, full of roguish characters and daring heists. Highly recommend them.

 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Mistborn. I've had book #1 on my TBR for a couple of years now but somehow never seem to get around to it. I also have Warbreaker and The Rithmatist by the same author, but again haven't read them. (I really need to stop hoarding books by authors I've never read. )

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

I've read Firefight by Brandon Sanderson, which is more superheroes than fantasy. I'm enjoying the first book in the Mistborn trilogy, but did have a big gap in reading it about quarter of the way through for some reason. Just started to get motoring on it again.

[Athena]

Good luck with your wedding !

 

I also have the Mistborn books on my TBR, but I have read and love other books by Brandon Sanderson. I've heard good things about the Mistborn series so I'm pretty sure I'll like it.

 

I can understand not wanting to read several series at once, that can get confusing!

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

Reading Challenge - Book 55: 'A Visit From The Goon Squad' by Jennifer Egan

 

When I was younger, if I could have chosen to be anything when I grew up, I'd have wanted to be a rock star. Never minding the fact that I had no ounce of musical talent, I loved the idea of being part of a touring rock group, writing amazing songs that people would listen to in the comfort of their homes, as well as standing on stage at nights in front of huge audiences screaming back lyrics from the songs that I had helped create. Over time, that turned from a dream to an unrealistic wish, but I have always had an interest in music, even if my ability to keep up with latest trends has waned as I've grown older.

 

'A Visit from the Goon Squad' is effectively a letter to the power of music, of having a dream to make something of yourself within the industry, and the difficulties that would be faced in the never-ending struggle to be relevant and survive in an ever changing world. It charts the crushing reality of the lives of those who never quite made it, yet always had those times when they felt that the world was their oyster and they could truly be 'the next big thing'.

 

It is impossible to talk about 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' without referencing the structure. It doesn't have a cohesive narrative, per se, and instead reads like a collection of short stories, each with a cohesive link to the 'main character' (if you can suggest there is one in this book) Bennie Salazar and the band 'The Flaming Dildos'. Each story spins off to look at snapshots of the lives of Bennie, and others who were in some way interacted with him through his career. Each chapter can technically be read as an individual story if you so want, and this structural choice allows Egan to do some interesting things, such as a chapter that is presented in the form of a Powerpoint-style presentation.

 

There is a sense of kinship and loss pervading all the stories, as we see the wistful memories of times gone by coupled with the difficulties of modern living once the dream has died. In some stories, Egan is particularly cutting about the dissolute lives of the people who had once interacted with Salazar in one way or another, yet it is this honesty that helps keep up the momentum of the book; not every story is a happy ending in real life either.

 

Without wanting to spoil the ending for you, the final chapter does go some way to reconciling a lot of the stories that have gone before, as well as acting as an endorsement (I feel) of music as a way of bringing people together. No matter who you are, good music has a way of linking people in society that way that very few other things can. Even as we move from the heady 70s-80s (the time in which I believe the book starts) to an unspecified modern time, with all that entails in terms of technology, it is essentially music that wins out. As our access to to art is arguably devalued by the rise of pirating and the ease with which one can now access pretty much any piece of music, book or creative endeavour with relative ease, I feel the book seeks to champion the ability of music to triumph over these types of adversity.

 

This has been a book that had been on my list since I began to read a lot more about reading in general - it was hard to find a top 10 list of modern novels without this book sitting somewhere near the top. It is clear to see why. Not only does Egan manage to use unique structure to create a book that is unlike many people will have read, it also shares a message that I feel is important, without being preachy or hitting the reader over the head with it.

It's simple really - never underestimate the power of a good song (or in this case, a good book.)

[Signor Finzione]

Hi Liam - hope your wedding was perfect!

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

Thank you for the kind words. Was lovely - great good, great weather, great company.

 

Just returned from honeymoon in Lake Garda, thus the sparse posting. Did finish the first of the Mistborn trilogy, which I really enjoyed, so will be cracking on with the 2nd book ASAP.

[Athena]

I'm glad you had a great holiday !

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the first Mistborn book. I recently read books 1 and 2, and am currently reading book 3. I'm not feeling like reading much though so I'm taking a break for a few days. I really liked the first book, and I thought the second was even better. I'm not that far into the third one so we shall see about that one. I'm glad you're enjoying the series, I look forward to read your thoughts on the books when you've finished them . I hope you enjoy them!

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

Due to me getting married this summer, I have fallen fairly far behind on my written reviews. To be fair, I’ve skipped over a couple of books in my reading challenge that aren’t really that important to cover. I mean, ‘Ayoade on Ayoade’ by Richard Ayoade was interesting, whilst ‘Why Do Buses Come In Threes?’ was a pretty perfunctory look at real life mathematics, but beyond that, they were just books that I happened to read. Rather than feel the pressure to comment on everything, from now on I will just cover the main books that I feel it necessary to review in more detail. With that being said…

 

Reading Challenge: Book 60 – ‘Mistborn: The Final Empire’ by Brandon Sanderson

 

I am a fair weather fantasy fan. I’m unashamed to admit that my first foray into the world of swords and dragons was, like many fans, from time spent with ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’ by G.R.R. Martin. Seeing a copy of the first book, ‘Game of Thrones’, with Sean Bean on the front of it (at the time, just about pre-HBO series release), I decided to have a look at it and was instantly hooked. I would even go as far as to argue that ‘A Clash of Kings’ might be one of my most favourite books of all time. However, the series isn’t what it once was in my eyes, and a year or so back I started to try and look for other fantasy that might reinvigorate my interest in the world of elves, orcs and goblins.

 

Enter Brandon Sanderson.

 

He wasn’t my first attempt by any means. I dipped my toes in other fantasy pools, but nothing that I picked up grabbed my interest in the way that ‘ASoFaI’ had. The first book in Joe Abercrombie’s ‘First Law’ Trilogy, ‘The Blade Itself’, came very close, an excellent book with a raft of interesting characters – yet I finished the book and moved away from the series (much to my chagrin now – my Mum has even read these three books!). I was still bereft of a fantasy series to really sink my teeth into.

 

Enter Mistborn.

 

I’d read ‘Firefight’ by Brandon Sanderson as my first attempt to explore his oeuvre, but ‘The Final Empire’ was the initial fantasy stop of a fairly prolific output for someone so (relatively) young. Maybe this would finally be the series to replace, or at least sit alongside, G.R.R. Martin’s glorious epic.

The book acted as the flint that reinvigorated my dwindling interest in the fantasy genre as a whole.

 

There are several reasons for this. When I first attempted to explore fantasy as a wider genre, the areas that were often discussed included characters, world building and systems (magic and so on). It was how a fantasy author was able to develop and manipulate these three things that would make their book a success or not. Naturally, these all meant very little if the plot wasn’t also something that was effective in engaging the reader in the world that has been created. In all four areas, Sanderson has proven himself a master, and even out-performed the best of Martin’s output in some areas.

 

The book tells the story of a Skaa called Vin and a ragtag bunch of mercenaries who plot to overthrow the Lord Ruler, a man who has supressed and abused the Skaa over many years. Even though this type of ‘defeat the big evil bad guy’ storyline is ten a penny, it is impressive how quickly Sanderson engages you with Vin’s plight, and makes the developing plan to destroy the Lord Emperor genuinely exciting. Vin and the Lord Ruler are perfect examples where world building and character development collide beautifully, as we desire for Vin to be successful due to the sense of immortality and undeniable cruelty that pervades every aspect of narrative linked to Lord Ruler. Not only do we respond to Vin as a true underdog hero, along with her maverick mentor Kelsier and various other colourful characters, but we legitimately wonder how they might achieve the lofty goals that are set out from the very start.

 

All this would fall apart if the systems in place weren’t interesting, and the central concept of Allomancy is the exciting core of the story through which we see Vin’s development and the general conflict between a range of different people. In Sanderson’s world, people are able to burn metal to allow them to enhance certain skills. As a Mistborn, Vin is able to burn all the metals, and we see several scenes with her building these skills through Kelsier and other members of the crew. By making the realisation of her powers part of the narrative, it helps the reader engage more with her character, as we learn the power of the metals at the same time as she does. These enhanced powers are not only an intriguing part of the plot (with rumblings of an Eleventh metal part of the overarching narrative), but they serve up some action packed fight scenes. If anything, it occasionally gets confusing as to how the different metals are being utilised at any one time, but this is a minor quibble.

 

In closing, this is the first time in a while in which I have swallowed up a book of this size in a matter of days once I got going. The last time – ‘Game of Thrones’. Maybe I really have found something to match up to Martin’s masterwork. Guess I’ll just have to crack open ‘The Well of Ascension’ and see.

[Athena]

I'm glad you enjoyed this book ! Great review!

 

I just finished the third book and I have to say I really enjoyed the series. I hope you enjoy the next two books!

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

I'm glad you enjoyed this book ! Great review!

 

I just finished the third book and I have to say I really enjoyed the series. I hope you enjoy the next two books!

 

I'm about a quarter of the way through the 2nd book, and the tension and storyline is already ramping way up. It is interesting to see where they go, as the 1st books' storyline could potentially have lasted more than one book if he was that way inclined.

[Athena]

That's very true! I've noticed with Sanderson's books that the second half usually has a lot more tension and stuff happening than the first half. Brandon himself calls the last part of his books, where a lot happens, 'the Brandon Avalanche' . I hope you enjoy the next two books, I think you will !

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

I've read number 2 - not sure if I'll review it due to my current project - first review of which is below.

 

Booker Prize #1 - 'Satin Island' by Tom McCarthy

 

Since the only way I now seem to get joy out of my reading is to somehow challenge myself to exceed any normal understanding of what 'reading for pleasure' might mean, I decided when the Booker Prize shortlist was announced that I would try my best to read all six books before the winner was declared. This way, I could completely hitch my wagon to the wrong horse and look like a schmuck when the book I hated the most wins inevitably.

 

As I'm also fighting a battle to read a set amount of books during the year (a challenge that is increasing in difficulty as the year goes by), I decided to read the smallest books first. Thus, if I gave up, I could at least have made progress in one area of my reading challenges. Huzzah!

 

This meant the first book was 'Satin Island' by Tom McCarthy. With my reading for this challenge being Kindle-based, I know that this book took me around three hours to read - by the end of it, I wondered a little as to why I bothered.

 

That is not to suggest that the book is bad. McCarthy clearly has some talent when it comes to non-sequitur flights of fancy and stream-of-concious-esque narrative development...it just left me fairly cold. I spoke before about my lack of a desire to necessarily analyse deeper meanings within my reading for fear of completely getting the wrong end of the stick, but in this instance, I just don't really get what McCarthy is trying to suggest or say.

 

The story concerns a man called 'U', who works for a company who seem to be seeking the ultimate truth about the world, the one big anthropological theory or formula that creates the mechanisms of the world we live in. Unfortunately for him, U has been tasked with this job.  It feels almost as if it placed in near future rather than the present day, as our narrator tangles with ethical, moral and narrative dilemmas about stories as disparate as an oil spill and the death of a parachutist. In the intervening moments of the book, he sleeps with a woman several times whilst seemingly yo-yoing on the relative value of the current task he has been set.

 

There are allusions to many different authors and many different stories - admittedly, many I had not realised until I looked up a review of the book. This is where I perhaps see my problem. Whilst I'd never necessarily suggest a book is 'too intelligent' for me, I do feel that there is a lot more going on underneath the surface that may have just passed me by in my reading of the novel. Maybe if I was closer to some of the writers that McCarthy feels the need to echo (Delilo, Pynchon, Kafka and others), I might have got more out of the book.

 

I also feel that I don't care much for the main character. If a lot of the narrative is based on his musings and machinations, it becomes difficult to feel much for him when you don't particularly like him. Some of this negativity is encapsulated within the relationship he carries on with his lady friend, a relationship with a woman who plays little more than a sexual function within the character's life. Towards the end, we begin to see more of her, but his dismissive treatment of that aspect of his life is just another reason why it is hard to care about the character in the bigger scheme of things. I don't have to like all my characters, but this style of narrative begs for your empathy with at least part of his situation - something that I never really felt.

 

WIth that being said, I feel that Tom McCarthy, and specifically 'Satin Island', will be many peoples' idea of their new favourite writer and new favourite book. Unfortunately, not for me. If anything, it feels like the type of books that gives ammunition to those who feel the Booker Prize doesn't really represent the best, rather just the most left field, options across the span of a year.

Edited September 26, 2015 by thatdifficultfirstnovel

[thatdifficultfirstnovel]

Booker Prize #2 - 'A Spool of Blue Thread' by Anne Tyler

As with anything I get really into, I like to read around about it as much as I can. Thus, even when the hobby itself is reading, I like to read about reading almost as much as digesting the books themselves. Usually, that takes the form of reviews, and the first thing I did once I finished 'A Spool of Blue Thread' was look at what other people thought about it. I was surprised. There couldn't have been a more polar opposite response to a book than what I saw in front of me. I guess that is what the best literature is want to do - separate people  into groups of people who loathe it and people who love it.

 

For your information, I would fall squarely in the camp of people who loved it, and I don't tend to read these types of social/family relationship type novels. It was outside my comfort zone, but there was something...pleasant...about reading the story and following the trials and tribulations of the Whitshanks across four generations. Rather than follow a linear narrative, we hop around between the youth of the grandparents (later on in the novel) and the big family gatherings around an aging couple (where we begin the story). We see the arguments between siblings, between parents and the black sheep of the family and with extended family, whilst we never get a sense that the family don't at least try to do what they generally consider to be the best for the good of the family.

 

Most of the complaints about the story seemed to be that the story went nowhere. Without wanting to go into too much detail so as not to spoil the story, there are moments that do shock and surprise, but I'll admit that there isn't one big 'ahah' moment, one big swerve or one big twist to have you furrowing your brow and mulling over it for days afterwards. Whilst this seems to be a deal breaker for some people who read the book, I couldn't care less when the writing is as fluent and beautiful as that which Tyler commits to the page. She presents a family in the way that is recognisable to anyone who is the creation of a big family environment; the back-biting, the squabbling, the politics, but most importantly, the love.

 

The structure of the novel does go a long way to assisting the narrative in my opinion. As we get to see the two grandparents suffering through the perils of old age, with all that entails, we get a snapshot of their own parents and the difficult courtship that they went through. This makes the reader feel that we get a true glimpse of what it took to create the characters that we have begun to fall for, warts and all, making them feel even more valuable for their unlikely existence.

 

People may complain that the story doesn't really move along at a cracking pace whilst offering twists and turns galore. I'm okay with that. The book meanders, and I was happy to meander along with it. It felt familiar, yet biting, comfortable, yet confrontational. Everything a good book should be, and more.