TheCatBasket

Oh dear me... Reviews 9 - 28 (mostly reverse order)

uninvitedcat — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:45:45 GMT

028. The Necropolis Railway - Andrew Martin
Did not enjoy this. Too much displaying of the research, and not enough murder-mystery. I won't be bothering with the rest of the series.

027. Command Decision - Elizabeth Moon
026. Engaging the Enemy - Elizabeth Moon
010. Trading in Danger - Elizabeth Moon
014. Moving Target - Elizabeth Moon

Books 1-4 of Moon's 5-book series Vatta's War make for an interesting, if intellectually light, read. If you like sci-fi with strong female leads who get on with things, then this could be the book for you. Plus, space pirates!

Book 5 due to be delivered soon - w00t!

025. Made To Be Broken - Kelly Armstrong
The second book featuring Armstrong's female assassin. This one picks up several strands from the first book, and seems to be heading determindly towards Romance territory. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not entirely what I was expecting from the series.

024. Fearless Fourteen - Janet Evanovich
022. Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich
021. Twelve Sharp - Janet Evanovich
020. Eleven On Top - Janet Evanovich

None of these are new additions, but they all re-read well. Still very enjoyable!

023. Grave Secret - Charlaine Harris
The last of the Harper Connelly books from Harris covers all the necessary bases. Resolution of the romance plot line, resolution of the missing sister plot line, trauma for our two leads. I would not like to see more of these books - not because I don't like them (because I do) but because it's not necessary. It'd be like trying to graft a third leg on to someone; trying to do so spoils the workings of what's already there.

019. Verdigris Deep - Frances Hardinge
Hardinge popped up onto my radar last year, when a friend of mine mentioned that she was friends with Hardinge. That actually made me reluctant to read any of Hardinge's works, but I'm glad I have now! Verdigris Deep is a well executed modern folk-tale with some genuinely creepy moments. It prompts the reader to consider the differences between what we wish for, and what we need. I would happily pass this book on to others (although I can't actually hand on the copy I've got because it isn't mine).

018. Sixty One Nails - Mike Shevdon
A loan from hooton, I was ambivalent about this one because it's fairies. Again. However, I managed to put that aside and actually enjoy the book. It's difficult to not enjoy a book that starts with a man having a heart attack and whose day goes downhill from there!

The big complaint about this one is the roles of women. The main female character is there to dump information, and to fall pregnant. That's a real big turn-off, even though it's a significant plot point for the subsequent book/s.

017. TimeRiders - Alex Scarrow
Time-travelling teens! Well, not really. But what you've got here is three young people drawn from different times in history, thrown together into a protected bubble and told that they have to protect the timeline. Not an incredibly original premise - nor is the point of history changed in this book (Nazis win WWII). The book is also pretty much obviously a set-up for a series. Not bad, but not necessarily worth hunting out, unless you've a youngish lad interested in time-travel books.

016. The Dead Isle - Copperbadge / theOriginalSam
015. Charitable Getting - Copperbadge / theOriginalSam
Two novel-length original fiction pieces from copperbadge aka theoriginalsam. Both excellent! I'm not even going to try and summarise them, because I'll spoil them both. But they're both worth a look.

Incidentally, Charitable Getting is going through Sam's Extribulum process - he's posted the story chapter by chapter, and his readership have provided feedback. Now Sam's (hopefully) editing the story to make it stronger, before publishing via Lulu. This process has also resulted in the excellent Nameless.

013. Tunnels of Blood - Darren Shan
012. The Vampire's Assistant - Darren Shan
011. Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan

Oh dear. I did not particularly enjoy these books. I know I'm not the target audience, but I got annoyed by some of the overly-obvious writing techniques, especially the "If I had known then what I know now, I would have been overcome by dread!" type constructions. Plus, vampires again. Am almost as overloaded on vampires as I am on fairies.

009. The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
I tried very hard to apply my mum's school of thought to this Christie mystery ("Whoever's the least suspicious is the one who did it.") but as always that led to me concluding that Poirot or Hastings must've done it.

Needless to say, I was wrong.

One thing I did enjoy was reading Hasting's interpretation of events and coming to understand just how wrong he was (about pretty much everything!), due to the assumptions and conclusions built into him by his upbringing and social conditioning.

Reviews 1-8

uninvitedcat — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:51:27 GMT

In reverse order, because I'm being lazy with my copy>pasting...

008. Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly
Oh my word this sucked like the suckiest thing in Suckville. I would seriously enter this book against anything by Dan Brown for the title of Worst Book Ever. Let me quote you some of the text:

"and a tiny winged figure leapt out of the plane and plummeted down through the sky.
It was a man.
West.
Shooming head-first down through the air, his face covered by a wickedly aerodynamic oxygen-supplying full-face helmet."

or how about:

"Rest in peace, Jack...never knowing that you led us every step of the fucking way.  Fortunately, we don't need you any more Jack.  Kallis.  Feed the men, replenish their arms, and set a course for Luxor."

Annoyingly short sentences, a ridiculous over-use of the exclamation mark (for things that really aren't that remarkable) and a really stupid plot combine to make this one of the more turgid thrillers I've read.

Definitely one to avoid.

007. I, Robot - Cory Doctorow^E

A reasonable short story, but I must admit I didn't realise it wasn't the one I was thinking of when I started it. Interesting ideas in it though.

006. He Shall Thunder in the Sky - Elizabeth Peters^E

One of Peters' Amelia Peabody books. This one is set in the early years of WWI, and has some really moving moments. The differing POVs occasionally grates, but I enjoy these stories so much I just don't care!

005. Book of Fate - Brad Meltzer
A political thriller combined with murder mystery, and much better executed than I expected. Still had some annoying points, but the physically and mentally scarred protagonist was interesting enough - particularly when the author allowed him to be weak.

Worth a look if you're into this genre.

004. Nation - Terry Pratchett

I enjoyed this book. The beginning was harrowing, but the rest of it I just lapped up. Mind you, I've had a weakness for stranded-island-stories since I was a kid - The Coral Island anyone? A very satisfying non-Discworld book.

003. Fade Out / 002. Carpe Corpus / 001. Lord of Misrule - Rachel Caine
The Morganville Vampires books 5, 6, and 7. On the whole Caine does a good job of keeping her various plot-strands moving, and ties up most loose ends in book 6. To be honest, book 7 felt like she'd planned to end things in book 6, and round about book 4 or 5 got told she was getting a few more volumes to fill.

I think I've just about reached the end of my interest in this series.

2010 Reading List

uninvitedcat — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:58:27 GMT

093. Frederica - Georgette Heyer
092. Dead In the Family - Charlaine Harris
091. One Fine Day In The Middle Of The Night - Christopher Brookmyre
090. Life And Laughing - Michael McIntyre
089. Blood Price - Tanya Huff
088. Living with the Dead - Kelley Armstrong
087. Sizzling Sixteen - Janet Evanovich
086. The New English Table - Rose Prince
085. The 30-Minute Cook: The Best of the World's Quick Cooking - Nigel Slater
084. Secondhand Spirits - Juliet Blackwell
083. The Cold Kiss of Death - Suzanne McLeod
082. U is for Undertow - Sue Grafton
081. The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks - James Anderson
080. The Affair of the Mutilated Mink - James Anderson
079. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information - Edward R. Tuft
078. The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy - James Anderson
077. Some Girls Bite - Chloe Neill
076. Blameless - Gail Carriger
075. Changeless - Gail Carriger
074. Soulless - Gail Carriger
073. Blood Pact - Tanya Huff
072. Mortal Coil - Derek Landy
071. Dark Days - Derek Landy
070. Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs
069. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs
068. The Sweet Scent of Blood - Suzanne McLeod
067. Sorcery and Cecelia: Or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot - Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
066. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
065. Scarecrow - Matthew Reilly
064. Personal Demon - Kelly Armstrong
063. Pure Blood - Caitlin Kittredge
062. Death Most Definite - Trent Jamieson
061. How to Lie With Statistics - Darrell Huff
060. What's a Ghoul to Do? - Victoria Laurie
059. Frostbitten - Kelly Armstrong
058. Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs
057. Nightlife - Caitlin Kittredge
056. Hell Fire - Ann Aguirre
055. Arctic Drift - Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler
054. Darkness Calls - Marjorie M. Liu
053. Blue DIablo - Ann Aguirre
052. Fire - Kristin Cashore
051. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
050. A Beginner's Guide To Acting English - Shappi Khorsandi
049. Tickling the English - Dara O Briain
048. Short Victorious War - David Weber
047. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club - Dorothy L. Sayers
046. Clouds of Witness - Dorothy L. Sayers
045. Changes - Jim Butcher
044. 6 Killer Bodies - Stephanie Bond
043. 5 Bodies to Die For - Stephanie Bond
042. 4 Bodies and a Funeral - Stephanie Bond
041. Divine by Mistake - PC Cast
040. The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen
039. Gone Tomorrow - Lee Child
038. Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris
037. Simon's Cat - Simon Tofield
036. Girl Missing - Tess Gerritsen
035. Marked - PC and Kristin Cast
034. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death - M. C. Beaton
033. Dead and Kicking - Wendy Roberts
032. Turn Coat - Jim Butcher
031. Devil May Ride - Wendy Roberts
030. Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs
029. Victory Conditions - Elizabeth Moon
028. The Necropolis Railway - Andrew Martin
027. Command Decision - Elizabeth Moon
026. Engaging the Enemy - Elizabeth Moon
025. Made To Be Broken - Kelly Armstrong
024. Fearless Fourteen - Janet Evanovich
023. Grave Secret - Charlaine Harris
022. Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich
021. Twelve Sharp - Janet Evanovich
020. Eleven On Top - Janet Evanovich
019. Verdigris Deep - Frances Hardinge
018. Sixty One Nails - Mike Shevdon
017. TimeRiders - Alex Scarrow
016. The Dead Isle - Copperbadge / theOriginalSam
015. Charitable Getting - Copperbadge / theOriginalSam
014. Moving Target - Elizabeth Moon
013. Tunnels of Blood - Darren Shan
012. The Vampire's Assistant - Darren Shan
011. Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan
010. Trading in Danger - Elizabeth Moon
009. The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
008. Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly
007. I, Robot - Cory Doctorow
006. He Shall Thunder in the Sky - Elizabeth Peters
005. Book of Fate - Brad Meltzer
004. Nation - Terry Pratchett
003. Fade Out - Rachel Caine
002. Carpe Corpus - Rachel Caine
001. Lord of Misrule - Rachel Caine

2009 Book Reviews #11 - 16

uninvitedcat — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:14:28 GMT

011. Dawn of the Dumb - Charlie Brooker

The collected columns of Charlie Brooker, as published in the Guardian between November 2004 and July 2007; a mixture of TV reviews and wider comment.

Have you come across Charlie Brooker yet? He has a TV show, called Screenwipe. If you're interested in TV, and not shocked by strong language, I heartily recommend staying up late to watch it. However, Brooker will use "robust" language to get his point across - something that he continues to do in print.

I'm not a regular Guardian reader, so I've not read these columns before, but I can assure you that Brooker's voice comes through as clearly as it does on his show. The bile, the cynicism, the frustration, the anger and the disappointment. And occasionally (very occasionally), the enjoyment.

Recommendation: Definitely take time to read it if you're aware of Brooker's work and want more of the same. Possibly not the best introduction to him if you're not already aware though.

012. Living Dead in Dallas / 013. Club Dead / 014. Dead to the World / 015. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris

Harris' "Southern Vampire" series (now also, confusingly, being branded "True Blood" or "TruBlood"), books 2-5. I couldn't find book 1, otherwise I'd've re-read that one too.

Entertaining enough, they kept me occupied on a long Friday afternoon when my back was playing up and I couldn't do much else.

Sookie Stackhouse is still slightly annoying as a lead character - despite the increasingly frequent occasions when she "gets cross" (we know she gets cross because the narrative voice tells us - we don't see much of it in her actions though), she still comes across as mostly passive. How much of this is down to her background as a Southern lady, I don't know.

Recommendation: Good, time-killing reading, especially if you like your supernatural romances with a dash of mystery.

016. The Genesis Secret - Tom Knox

Oh my word. This is another one of those "there's a big conspiracy. Some scientists are on the verge of uncovering a deep secret from long ago like Biblical times and there's a bunch of other people who want to stop them and are willing to kill in a totally horrific manner." If you've read and enjoyed tosh like Labyrinth or Da Vinci Code then you'll probably like this. It's more of the same, after all.

Damn you Waterstones, and your 3-for-2 offers that lead to me picking up trash like this!

Recommendation: Avoid. If you want to read it, get in touch and you can have my copy.

2009 Book Reviews, #1-10

uninvitedcat — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:37:53 GMT

001. Every Which Way But Dead / 002. The Good, The Bad And The Undead / 003. Fistful of Charms - Kim Harrison

Further adventures of Rachel, Ivy and Jenks. Entertaining, but never going to be Great Literature.

Recommendation: Definitely something to read if you like your urban fantasy/suspense.

004. The Sacred Art of Stealing - Christopher Brookmyer

An entertaining (possibly stand-alone, or else it's a sequal) tale from Brookmyer featuring daring bank robbers, a dedicated policewoman and a thoroughly entertaining plot.

Recommendation: Good for an afternoon with a cup of tea.

005. Guardian Angel - Sara Paretsky

Another installment in the V I Warshawski canon shows us an older Vic, albeit one who still gets angry and alienates her friends. I'm now wondering how many times this plot gets recycled, and am considering abandoning the series.

Recommendation: A decent detective story, although somewhat familiar to longer readers of the series.

006. Baby Bonanza - Maureen Child / 007. Irresistible Forces - Brenda Jackson / 008. Price of Passion - Susan Napier / 009. Slow Hands - Leslie Kelly

Oh. My. God. These books were free (part of Harlequin's give-away to celebrate their something-or-other birthday), and I still feel cheated. In case you're not familiar with Harlequins, they are a Romance novel publisher. Every single one of these titles is appallingly bad. Poor plot, no characterisation, terrible writing, there's just nothing to save them at all.

Recommendation: Avoid as you would the plague.

010. The Coroner - M R Hall

I can't really take marks off for the numerous typographical errors I spotted in this book as it was an ARC. But they still annoyed me.

Generally, this was not a bad mystery novel. It's quite obviously the first in a series, but that's not too bad. We meet the main character at an interesting point in her life - recently divorced, suffering from anxiety, she's bought a house in Wales and taken up the post of Coroner in the Bristol region. However, old problems and new ones rear their heads. None of her relationships are settled, and it's soon very obvious that the previous Coroner had left a mystery for her.

Having said all that, I can't bring the character's name to mind. Ooh, Mrs Cooper. But I can't remember her first name. On top of that, it felt a little like watching an episode of Judge John Deeds. There's a lot of the coroner doing the investigating, getting angry at people and refusing to believe what she's told. A lot of the ending is just too quickly wound up, and I was disappointed by the attempts to create tension / belief that Cooper was going to fail at the final part of the inquest.

Recommendation Definitely one to borrow rather than buy. However, also worth keeping an eye on this author - all my issues with the book are things that could disappear with experience.

Books Read in 2009

uninvitedcat — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:13:38 GMT

82. Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett
81. Feast of Fools - Rachel Caine
80. Shakespeare's Counselor - Charlaine Harris
79. Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris
78. Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris
77. Naming of the Beasts - Mike Carey
76. ^E Midnight Alley - Rachel Caine
75. ^E Sheepfarmer's Daughter - Elizabeth Moon
74 ^E Murder Can Ruin Your Looks - Selma Eichler
73. ^E The Remains of the Dead - Wendy Roberts
72. ^E Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds - Nancy Martin
71. The Faceless Ones - Derek Landy
70. The Crucifix Killer - Chris Carter
69. ^E Born to Run - Mercedes Lackey
68. Fish Pies and French Fries, Vegetables, Meat and Something Sweet - Gill Holcombe
67. Nothing to Loose - Lee Child
066.^E The Rats, the Bats and the Ugly - Eric Flint and Dave Freer
065.^E Rats, Bats and Vats - Eric Flint and Dave Freer
064.^E The Honor of the Queen - David Weber
063.^E On Basilisk Station - David Weber
062.^E Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris
061.^E Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlaine Harris
060.^E Winterfair Gifts - Lois McMaster Bujold
059.^E The Mountains of Mourning - Lois McMaster Bujold
058. Stephen Fry's Incomplete & Utter History of Classical Music
057. More Bollocks to Alton Towers - Halstead, Hazelley, Morris & Morris
056. Friends Like These - Danny Wallace
055. Bad Science - Ben Goldacre
054. Firmin: Adventures Of A Metropolitan Lowlife - Sam Savage
053. Academ's Fury - Jim Butcher
052. Snakehead - Anthony Horowitz
051. Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz
050. The Awakening - Kelley Armstrong
049. Furies of Calderon - Jim Butcher
048. Exit Strategy - Kelley Armstrong
047. K is for Killer - Sue Grafton
046. Geoff In Venice, Death In Varanasi - Geoff Dyer
045.^E3 Men and a Body - Stephanie Bond
044.^E2 Bodies for the Price of 1 - Stephanie Bond
043.^EBody Movers - Stephanie Bond
042.^EIron Kissed - Patricia Briggs
041.^EThe Julius House - Charlaine Harris
040.^EShakespear's Champion - Charlaine Harris
039.^EThe Dead Girls' Dance - Rachel Caine
038. ^EThe Wolf Worlds- Allen Cole & Chris Bunch
037. Blood At the Bookies - Simon Brett
036. A Snowball in Hell - Christopher Brookmyre
035. ^EArea 7 - Matthew Reilly
034. Pride And Prejudice And Zombies - Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith
033. ^EFirst Light Chronicles - Randolph Lalonde
032. ^EGlass Houses - Rachel Caine
031. ^EBlood Bound - Patricia Briggs
030. ^ESten - Allen Cole & Chris Bunch
029. Whisky Tales - Charles Maclean
028. ^EWinterfair Gifts - Lois McMaster Bujold
027. ^EAll Together Dead - Charlaine Harris
026. ^EFrom Dead To Worse - Charlaine Harris
025. ^EDefinitely Dead - Charlaine Harris
024. ^EShakespear's Landlord - Charlaine Harris
023. John Constantine Hellblazer: Original Sins - Deland/Ridgway/Alcala
022. Small Favor - Jim Butcher
021. Thicker Than Water - Mike Carey
020. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris
019. Grave Surprise - Charlaine Harris
018. Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris
017. No Time For Goodbye - Lynwood Barclay
016. The Genesis Secret - Tom Knox
015. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris
014. Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris
013. Club Dead - Charlaine Harris
012. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
011. Dawn of the Dumb - Charlie Brooker
010. The Coroner - M R Hall
009. Slow Hands - Leslie Kelly
008. Price of Passion - Susan Napier
007. Irresistible Forces - Brenda Jackson
006. Baby Bonanza - Maureen Child
005. Guardian Angel - Sara Paretsky
004. The Sacred Art of Stealing - Christopher Brookmyer
003. Fistful of Charms - Kim Harrison
002. The Good, The Bad And The Undead - Kim Harrison
001. Every Which Way But Dead - Kim Harrison

^E indicates an e-book read on my BeBook.

More reviews

uninvitedcat — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:37:36 GMT

104. Numbers - Rachel Ward

Jem can see the date that you're going to die. As you'd expect, this has caused her some problems in life. Things aren't helped by the fact that she's a foster kid. Despite her best efforts, she gets tied up with Spider, a fellow misfit from school...

A well executed tale, with estate life in London very well depicted. I also found the section on two London kids trying to cope with the countryside to be a highlight. Unfortunately, the lowlight for me included a key plot-point.

Having said that, this still raises some very deep questions (is your life pre-determined or can you change the course of things?) for further consideration.

Probably a borrow rather than a buy.

105. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris

The third Harper Connelly, and I think Harris broke the magic for me. A good mystery plot (serial killer in small town America!) was somewhat hampered by the clunky handling of the romance. I won't say too much or else I'll spoil the books for you. I'll just say that it feels like Harris turned her male romantic lead into a great big girl. This should not have happened - Harris is experienced enough to be able to handle things properly - but the whole book feels a bit rushed.

Borrow, rather than buy.

106. Blood On The Strand - Susannah Gregory

Billed as the second Thomas Chaloner mystery, I should point out that I hadn't read the first. However, this was not a problem as Gregory dropped enough into the text of this one that I now feel as though I don't need to read the first book at all.

Set three years after the Restoration of the monarchy, this book is pretty much in competition with the Shardlake books by CJ Sansom, but I don't think Sansom has much to worry about.

The book is competently executed, but did not enthrall me. I won't be tracking down any others in this series.

Overall, a definite borrow, but only if you're interested in spies, Restoration London, or a fan of Gregory.

107. Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing With Fire - Derek Landy

I have no doubt TQ will happily remind me that I initially poured scorn on Skulduggery Pleasant (due entirely to the big sticker proclaiming it to be a Richard & Judy Book Club choice). However, the second book featuring the skeleton detective and his sidekick Valkyrie Caine is as much of a romp as the first.

Following on quite shortly from where the first book left off, Valkyrie is now learning her trade, taking on bad guys, and generally being a very unrealistic 13-year-old girl. But I didn't care. There was plot, action, villains, mystery and magic. What more do you want from a YA fiction book?

Buy. Definitely buy!

108. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

Another YA book, I found this to be surprisingly unengaging. I was expecting to be sucked into the world of Meggie (12-year old girl) and Mo (her bookbinder father). But something was a little flat. I still can't quite put my finger on it though... Possibly due to the translation of the text?

Borrow. Or try it in the original German.

Updates

uninvitedcat — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:48:14 GMT

With apologies to penguinontherun (and anyone else still reading!) for the long long delay in posting these reviews, here's some more.

086. Stone Heart - Charlie Fletcher

Excellent book! A young adult fantasy-mystery, with a good depiction of a 12-year old boy George as the main lead. London is brilliantly evoked, as much a character as the Gunner or Edie. Nice ending too.

This book joins Skulduggery Pleasant on the list of books I would happily give as a present to a younger reader.

087. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins

This is a tough book to review, if only because Dawkins does seem to polarise opinions. It's definitely given me food for thought, and has prompted me to consider exactly where I fall on the spectrum that runs from extreme fundamentalist scientist (such as Dawkins) through athiest, agnostic, believer, and into extreme fundamental religionist.

While some of the text was useful in terms of putting words around a subject, and introducing some new questions, I found the majority of it was not particularly new to me.

I think I can see why people with faith react badly to it - Dawkins shows little compromise! I have no doubt that the whole teaching-a-child-religion-is-child-abuse is horrendously offensive to some and it's certainly one of the moments I felt uncomfortable with the text.

I don't actually know how to summarise my response to this book. Probably because I'm still thinking about it, the matters it has raised and whether I agree with all or only part of Dawkins' stance.

088. All Fun And Games Until Someone Looses An Eye - Christopher Brookmyre

A nice easy read. Middle-aged grandmother Jane is an appealing heroine, and the story is an enjoyable mix of scientist-kidnapped-by-crims crossed with spy crossed with romance. I've experienced much worse ways of passing a couple of hours!

Probably one to buy at a discount, or just borrow though.

089. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse - Charlaine Harris

Another Aurora Teagarden mystery. I use the word "mystery" lightly here. As with the previous book in this series, there was little detection and much luck involved in solving the murders. This is a thin book - the mystery and romance strands could stand with a lot more fleshing out, and the plot had the potential to be much more gripping.

At most, this is one to borrow and kill some time.

090. Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman! - Ralph Leighton, Richard P. Feynman, and Edward Hutchings

Not a storybook at all. This is instead a collection of anecdotes from the life of Richard Feynman, Nobel-prize winning physicist. An interesting read covering an interesting life - one that includes Einstein, safe-breaking, painting, and the atomic bomb.

Definitely one to buy, read, and then lend to as many people as possible!

091. Quite Ugly One Morning - Christopher Brookmyer

The first of Brookmyer's books featuring the reporter Jack Parlabane. I didn't realise until I'd got a little way through the opening scene, but this was actually turned into a TV show a while ago and I'd started watching the first episode. The TV show didn't hold my interest, but the book did, although the page-count is quite low.

It does feel a little dated - possibly down to the choice of "baddie" but all in all not a bad way of passing some commuting time.

092. Snake Agent - Liz Williams

I know very little about Chinese mythology, so I have no doubt that there are subtleties to this book that went right past me but you know what? I don't care! An excellently-written futuristic mystery with a big dash of spiritual mythology. Chen is an engaging character, the world-building is solid and the plot kept me guessing right the way through.

I'll definitely be looking out for the subsequent Chen mysteries, and happily add this one to the 'Must Buy' list.

093. The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong

Essentially, this is a book about kids with psychic powers. As a first book in a series, you expect a certain amount of scene-setting, but on the whole this felt like there was little other than scene setting.

Slightly disappointing, as Armstrong has proved she can write a decently engaging urban fantasy before now and this one feels weak.

Borrow rather than buy.

094. The Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks - Christopher Brookmyer

This is one of Brookmyer's later Parlabane novels (incidentally, I've now spoiled myself for several of the intervening books, so if you don't like to be spoiled, make sure you read them in order!), but the character doesn't seem to have grown much.

It's certainly interesting to read after The God Delusion; Brookmyer certainly comes across as a strong supporter of Dawkins in this book!

However, the big reveal and a couple of other twists were too easily guessed. As a mystery novel, this fails. As an attack on spiritualism, this is nothing new.

Borrow a copy rather than buy.

095. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas

Crikey - another science/religion book! I think I've spotted my theme for this year...

Anyway. Basic premise is a rare book by a little-known author contains a big secret. A post-grad student finds it, and then discovers that she's being pursued by some rather dodgy gentlemen.

There's quite a lot of philosophy, thought experiments, and mind reading. However, I lost all patience with the book when the main character suggested that she originally thought the Catholic Church was quite feminist due to the emphasis placed on the Virgin Mary. While this is followed by a change of opinion of the main character, I just didn't care.

Overall I did not find the book engaging, but then again I'm not too keen on philosophy at the best of times.

096. Club Dead - Charlaine Harris

Another Sookie Stackhouse book from Charlaine Harris. I still can't make my mind up whether I like Sookie or not. I'm tending towards 'not' but I can't put my finger precisely on why.

A slight mystery, a bit more romance, some supernatural thingymabobs and voila, another slender novel from Harris.

Definitely not as good as the Harper Connelly books, but possibly worth a look if you like your vampire romances.

097. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse again. Pretty much a case of rinse and repeat from above, although there was one bright spot towards the end of the book where Sookie finally showed some spine.

099. Flora Segunda of Crackpot Hall - Ysabeau Wilce

Another good YA fantasy novel. Highly imaginative (although with some recognisable fantasy staples), I felt the confrontation with Lord Axacaya to be anticlimactic and a weak point in the whole book.

I suspect this is another first-in-a-series books, but it's a good one and a potential gift for younger readers.

100. The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer

Heyers-by-numbers. Pretty much a cross between A Civil Contract and April Lady / Friday's Child. Amusing but not deep.

101. Killing Orders - Sara Paretsky

Now this is a proper mystery! Multiple mysteries in fact! I've no idea where this falls in the series of VI Warshawski books, but I don't care. Murder, fraud, arson, they all feature and kept me hooked until the end.

Definitely a recommend!

102. Q is for Quarry - Sue Grafton

Grafton's Millhone books are less gritty and realistic than Paretsky's Warshawski books, but are still a good mystery. In this one, Kinsey joins two elderly police officers in trying to solve an old case. Good depictation of the differences between the methods employed by the private investigator and the police!

Read as part of the series, but don't try and start with this one!

103. White Night - Jim Butcher

A Harry Dresden book, this suffers from the same problems as the previous books. Butcher still desperately wants Dresden to be the coolest thing around, and so is rapidly pushing him into Gary Stu territory. Which is a shame because there's some excellent ideas in here.

Positive points for Murphy calling Dresden on his temper, but many many many negative points for the whole "Lash" subplot. Very convenient.

If you've seen the TV show, I assure you it didn't do justice to the books. They're good time-passers, but ones to borrow rather than buy I think.

084. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

uninvitedcat — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:31:42 GMT

This book gets an entry all of its very own, because... You know what? I was going to try and review this book as if I loved it more than anything else I've ever read. But I just can't do it.

I can see that it would appeal to an immature reader (in fact, I can see it possibly appealing to me if I'm in the right mood - in the same sick and twisted way that Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels often appeal to me). I can see that it's very easy for the female reader to identify with Bella. I can see that Edward's behaviour is incredibly creepy and disturbing. What I can't see is the point in any further books. Twilight from Edward's POV? Why bother? We get so much explanation in the text, so much telling and so little showing that what extra could be gained? Other than a presumably gory detailing of exactly what happened to James at the end of it all. But then again, given the target audience, that would be offputting. So an entire book of just how tortured Edward is by his wrong feelings? Urgh.

The absolute worst thing about this book though is the fact that there is now a generation of girls who are going to grow up thinking that the sort of utter dependency on someone else for your emotional health as depicted by Bella is desirable.

uninvitedcat — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:56:03 GMT

078. Space Captain Smith - Toby Frost

Not quite as funny as it wants to be, this is still an amusing romp through the Sci-Fi conventions. Overly-English (and mostly incompetent) spaceship Captain wins through all the odds thanks to the help of his good-hearted crew. Or something along those lines anyway! It was good enough for me to keep an eye out for the next book in this series.

079. Heart-Shaped Box - Joe Hill

I don't usually read horror, and this book has not converted me. A ghost story featuring three main characters - none of which appeal to me as a reader - it's a well executed tale. But not one that I would normally choose to read.

If you like your creepy stories, then go for it.

080. A Bone To Pick - Charlaine Harris

The second Aurora Teagarden book, apparently. I don't think I've missed anything by not reading the previous book though - Harris references it a few times but gives the reader enough information to fill in the blanks. Adequately written, this is never going to be hailed as great literature. My main gripe is that the answer just falls into Aurora's lap. For a mystery book, there was precious little investigation! I'll keep an eye out for the third, but I won't be rushing to buy it.

081. Full House - Janet Evanovich

Oh my god. Early Evanovich with all of her problems and few of her graces. Urgh. Romance book, not particularly well executed (far far too much telling and not enough showing!) and a ridiculous plot plastered on top of it to try and spice it up. Read it if you must, but really lower your expectations.

082. Silhouette in Scarlet - Elizabeth Peters

Another Vicky Bliss book. I know - I said I'd be avoiding them. But there was precious little choice in my local library, and this appears to be a book somewhat later in the series. It's still poor though. Peters continues to want Bliss to be a strong female character with feminist instincts, and fails. Bits where the heroine admits to herself that it wasn't any intellectual exercise that leads her to the identity of the Ringleader but rather her female intuition don't do anyone any favours.

Contine to avoid!

083. Motor Mouth - Janet Evanovich

Evanovich tries to re-create Stephanie Plum but with a new job and a new name. It hasn't worked for me.

This time, the female-in-a-males-world works in NASCAR racing as a spotter. Whatever that is. I don't actually care enough about this book or the characters to go and find out. I won't be bothering with the other books in this series either.

Reviews

uninvitedcat — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 08:11:27 GMT

Oh my god! How long have I left this? I do apologise!

054. Just One More Thing - Peter Falk

Not exactly the book I was hoping for, this turned out to be a series of short (one or two pages in length!) anecdotes and good humoured musings from the life of Peter Falk. Not a bad read, it just went past much faster than I'd anticipated for the size of it.

Recommendation: Excellent for fans of short tales.

055. Bullshit - Nick Webb

An invaluable dictionary of bullshit in the political and commercial arenas, and other professions that really should know better. Disturbingly enough, after reading this, I actually found myself using 'future-proofed' in a serious discussion at work.

Recommendation: A worthy guide to the buzz-words proliferating at an alarming rate.

056. Diplomatic Baggage - Brigid Keenan

Picked up off a random shelf on holiday, I did end up wondering just why Brigid Keenan had stuck with being a diplomat's wife, given that she apparently hated it so much. I also wondered why the woman was happy to portray herself as completely unable to pursue any interests of her own. I ended up with absolutely no sympathy for her, which is strange as I am not the most confident of people when on my own in a strange country.

Recommendation: Avoid, unless you want to read about some woman crying her eyes out for two weeks.

057. In The Teeth Of The Evidence - Dorothy L Sayers

A collection of Sayers' short stories, this has "Featuring Lord Peter Wimsey" on the cover. What it fails to trumpet is that Wimsey features only in two or three of the stories. The rest (i.e. the bulk of the book) feature Montague Egg or random other people. Nonetheless, the stories are as well executed as any of Sayers' longer tales and worth perusing. Just don't expect to see too much of Lord Peter.

Recommendation: Dip in and out of as you wish.

058. The Cleaner - Brett Battles

A ridiculous action-spy novel with an awfully executed set of villains, this proved to be much less interesting than the story I though it was going to be. From the blurb on the back, I was expecting to read a tale where I was questioning the morality and motivations of the main character. What I got was blatantly signposted charicatures and ridiculous straw men. This book wanted to be a Bourne film, but failed.

Recommendation: Avoid. If you're really interested, you can have my copy. Seriously. Just email me.

060. A Piano in the Pyrenees - Tony Hawkes

Having enjoyed Hawkes' earlier works (Playing the Moldovians at Tennis, One Hit Wonderland, Round Ireland With a Fridge etc), I was expecting to quite enjoy this. Instead, I was left with nothing to laugh at/with and no sense of any passion from Hawkes - not for his house, not for the village, not for the piano and not for any people he was writing about. All I did feel was that this book had been churned out to pay some bills.

Recommendation: Disappointing. Read only if you're stuck somewhere and have a few hours to kill.

061. Swahili for the Broken Hearted - Peter Moore

Another disappointing book. I picked this up in a 3-for-2 offer and because I needed some holiday reading. I quite fancied reading about someone travelling through Africa. Instead I got precious little travel tales and more about the author as a person. The only bit I was very interested in appeared quite early on and gave me quite high expectations, but then there was nothing substantial to follow it. Disappointing.

Recommendation: Read if you're a fan of Moore.

064. Un Lun Dun - China Miéville

Having read Perdido Street Station I was very curious to see how Miéville would handle writing for children. The answer is that he handled it very well. I love some of the ideas in this book, and I also enjoyed the subtle warping of London and of the standard fantasy tropes.

Recommendation: Borrow a copy from your local library.

065. Ill WInd - Rachel Caine

OK, so Nature hates humanity and seeks to destroy us, using weather and fire and so forth. There are some humans who have the power to affect these elements, and are even more hated by Nature. There's also djinn who can be enslaved by humans and thus magnify their capabilities, and demons that seek to corrupt and control humans. Not a bad set-up, but Caine then wastes it all in a book that is essentially one long set-up for a series. I did not bond with any of the characters despite Caine trying very very hard to make them cool and attractive, and I doubt I'll be reading any more of these. Unless I get incredibly bored.

Recommendation: Only good for wasting some time, possibly on a wet Sunday afternoon in Borth.

073. Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich

Oh thank god - I book I enjoyed! Another Stephanie Plum novel from Evanovich and while it's undoubtedly Plum-by-numbers, it was still entertaining. (I laughed out loud at the bit with the stapler!) A worthy addition to the collection.

Recommendation: Buy a copy, read it, and keep it with the other 12. Re-read them all whenever you need a laugh.

074. The Cat Whisperer - Claire Bessant

Sort of an odd book for me to choose, but as a potential cat/kitten owner, I wanted to start learning how to look after them properly. An easy read, and quite good at pointing out how you can bond with and train a cat. I can't comment on how successful Bessant's methods are as I don't own a cat yet!

Recommendation: Definitely worth borrowing a copy if you have/are about to have a cat.

075. World War Z - Max Brooks

I'm not really into zombies, but this was still an interesting read. Well structured, Brooks' cunning use of individuals verbal eyewitness accounts allows him to contrast people, cultures and societies nicely.

Recommendation: A definite must if you're a Zombie fan, and worth a look even if you're not.

076. Pies and Prejudice - Stuart Marconie

Subtitled "In Search Of The North", Marconie tries very hard to prove that the North of England is more than pies, whippets, flat caps and The Last of the Summer Wine. I don't know which Southerners Marconie's been talking to, but that wasn't the image of the North that I have anyway. Maybe I'm exceptional? Although, Marconie's representation of the South seemed to smack somewhat of prejudice. I mean, a producer called Cordelia?!

The point that the national news programmes focus far too heavily on London is certainly valid, but it's too deeply buried in this book to be effective. The point that the North has been used in media as a synonym for poverty is true, but not new.

All in all, this came across as a thin excuse for Marconie to indulge himself in tour around the north of England.

Recommendation: Avoid, unless you want to read a self-indulgent travelogue with one good bit that references Bryson.

077. An Utterly Impartial History of Britain or 2000 Years of Upper-Class Idiots in Charge - John O'Farrel

Shamefully enough, I don't know much about the history of Britain. That's why I bought this book. On finishing it, I don't think I actually know much more - although I do have a tome with a handy index so I could at least find out roughly when Edward II reigned and so forth. O'Farrel displays his prejudices quite openly too (look, there they are, in the subtitle).

Probably not a bad introduction to 2000 years of history, but possibly not the best either.

Recommendation: Worth a look if you're vaguely interested in history. Definitely do not consider this to be an authoritative work though.

uninvitedcat — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:14:04 GMT

050. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
The first Sooky Stackhouse book, and not a bad start. Sookie is a waitress in a smallish town in America. And she's telepathic. A definite member of the supernatural-romance genre (other members include the Anita Blake books, Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan books and Kelley Armstrong's books). The Anita Blake echoes where particularly strong, given that the undead have rights.

Don't let the Anita-Blakeness scare you off though. There's a murder mystery to solve, and Sooky (despite the twee name) is definitely no Anita!

I'll probably be keeping an eye out for the rest of the series, as they're good bubble-gum reading.

051. Borrower of the Night - Elizabeth Peters
What a bloody annoying book! Supposedly, the female lead (Vicky Bliss) is supposed to be all strong and independent and whenever she gets a chance to actually show this sort of behaviour she totally fails to follow through. The main method of creating mystery is for the narrator to leave bits of information out until a later chapter which is really annoying (see anything by Dan Brown if you don't believe me).

This is obviously Peters trying to recreate the Amelia Peabody series, and frankly it fails. I'm unlikely to try any of the subsequent Vicky Bliss books as a result.

052. The Good, The Bad & The Undead - Kim Harrison
The second Rachel Morgan book picks up a few months on from where the first one left off. Still an interesting world, and Harrison has set up some interesting dilemmas for her characters.

Worth picking up. I'll be looking out for the rest of this series too.

053. Something Borrowed - Paul Magrs
The sequel to Never The Bride, Brenda and Effie are continuing to investigate mysteries in Whitby. This time around, we find out even more about Brenda's lengthy past, and someone gets shot in the head. (This is my attempt to not spoil the book - don't laugh at me!)

It's not bad. I suspect you'll get a lot more out of these books than me if you know lots and lots of horror/mystery stories.

uninvitedcat — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:36:44 GMT

This first Harper Connelly book was less engaging for me than the second, probably because Harper comes across as much weaker in this volume. From the text, it's set about a week before the second volume, so perhaps the reader is meant to infer that she's grown in character as a result of the events of this book. If so, I'm not completely convinced; having said that, I'm still happy to read the third volume of this series.

An interesting idea and well executed! The basic premise of this world is well explained within the text although some of it does feel a little info-dumpy. There's enough plot and questionable motivations to keep you interested, and happily enough not everything is tied up by the end of the volume. There are enough loose ends to tie you in to the next book. I'll have to keep an eye out for it...

A follow-up to Bollocks to Alton Towers, this is very definitely more of the same. Existing solely to champion attractions not featured in the first volume, it is just as educational and amusing as the first. Definitely try and get your hands on a copy!

Evident from the text, this is not McDermid's first book featuring DCI Carol Jordan and Dr Tony Hill. In fact, the series has been adapted for TV (the show Wire In The Blood in case you (like me) didn't know). Unfortunately, knowing about the adaption just means that no matter how Dr Hill is described in the text, I persisted in mentally picturing Robson Green. :sigh:

There are two mysteries in this book, one of which is very interesting and the other one is a bit of a political hot potato at the moment. I suspect that as a result this book is going to age quite badly. However, they're handled deftly enough and kept my interest right to the end.

A loan from if0x it was heartily recommended and I can see why! Excellent world building from Reeve, and a well-paced adventure that will no doubt find favour with younger readers. I won't be rushing out to buy the subsequent volumes (too slight to earn their keep on my bookcase in the long run) but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them at the library / secondhand bookshops.

uninvitedcat — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:12:26 GMT

039. No Humans Involved - Kelley Armstrong

Armstrong delivers another readable installation in her on-going series. This book focusses on Jaime Vegas, the necromancer featured only tangentially in previous books. Jeremy and Paige pop up for cameo roles, and we're introduced to the lead of the next title in the series - so no changes there. These books are not particularly deep, but so long as you don't expect too much, they're a fine way to pass some time.

040. The Blade Itself / 041. Before They Are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie

Abercrombie definitely borrows from the established fantasy 'stewpot'. Logen NInefingers (aka the Bloody Nine) takes the Northern Barbarian role. Jezal dan Luthar takes the more 'refined' rapier-using monarchist. Inquisitor Glokta is a torturer-cum-investigator. Bayaz is the long-lived magic-using former adviser to Kings. I kept getting echoes of Eddings - although this is not meant as a criticism. Indeed, Abercrombie writes well, absorbing you into his world speedily. The traditional quest is set up, and embarked upon; the additional characters are well-drawn enough to interest you in the events happening elsewhere too.

Definitely one to watch!

042. Grave Surprise - Charlaine Harris

I'd not come across Charlaine Harris' work before, and picked this up to fill out a 3-for-2 offer. I'm glad I did. Not particularly deep or meaningful, this is nevertheless a pleasant read. Harper Connelly is an interesting lead, and I am very curious to see how her relationship with Tolliver is handled in future. I gather that this is the second or third book in the series so far, so I shall look to find the earlier works before progressing.

043. Dark Fire - C. J. Sansom

The second Matthew Shardlake book again sees the hunchbacked lawyer dragged into solving a mystery for Cromwell. Set three years after the first book, Sansom neatly portrays Shardlake's increasing dissatisfaction with the tumultous changes to London and England. Interleaved with the Cromwell mission lies the mystery of a young lady charged with murdering her younger male cousin and I have to admit I was expecting a somewhat different resolution to that particular storyline!

More reviews - change of plan...

uninvitedcat — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:05:59 GMT

Given how poorly I'm doing this year in keeping up with my book reviews, I've decided to alter my rules slightly. I will now only review new books, or books I've read before where my opinion has changed (or I have something different to say about it).

So, on with an update then....

014 - 016. Alphabet Mysteries - Sue Grafton
Same old same old. Moderately interesting mystery novels, but not as gripping as they could be.

017. Tell No One - Harlan Coben
Milo doesn't appear in this book. Instead we have an identikit hero trying to find out what happened to his girlfriend eight years ago. Not too badly executed, but not particularly deep or intriguing.

018. No Second Chances - Harlan Coben
Coben's still not absorbing me into his stories. That's enough chances - now he's on the 'brain-dead, bored, got nothing else to read' pile.

020. The Dark Tower - Stephen King
The culmination of King's journey up his own backside. Overly long, disappointing, and not something that leaves me dying to read more of his stuff.

023. Dissolution - C. J. Sansom
First book in a series featuring Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer who has found favour with Cromwell. A bit too In The Name Of The Rose for my liking, but it the book is quite well written. I'd certainly keep an eye out for more of these books, but I wouldn't be bumping them to the top of my queue.

024. The Blind Man of Seville - Robert Wilson
Another murder mystery, another first in the series. Set in Seville this time. The main character is the son of a famous artist, and appears to be going through a mental breakdown. This is unfortunate as he's supposed to be hunting a particularly gruesome murderer, and the politics of his appointment are starting to interfere.

Overall, I suspect this book would be of more interest to someone with a greater familiarity with Seville than myself, but that doesn't make it a bad book. I'll keep an eye out for other books featuring Falcon, but again, they won't be jumping the queue.

027. The Line of Polity - Neal Asher
Agent Cormac is back! As is Dragon! And I barely remember them from the first Asher book I read. Hmm. Still, it's an interesting story adequately executed. Worth a look at least.

2008 Book Reviews II

uninvitedcat — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:11:28 GMT

008. Ivory - Mike Resnik
A slightly odd story focussed on the fate of a pair of elephant tusks, several thousand years after the elephant concerned had died. Resnik does well in sketching out and colouring hin his vision of mankind's future.

Recommendation: OK sci-fi. Borrow a copy rather than buy though.

009. Hogfather - Terry Pratchett

pTerry does Christmas. What more need I say?

You really want more? OK. Find out What Susan Did Next.

Recommendation: Buy a copy and cherish.

010. Beasts in My Belfry - Gerald Durrell

Gerry Durrell, having decided he wants to collect animals for a living, discovers that most expeditions will not take him on without experience. And of course, the only way he can get experience would be to go on an expedition... As a step along the path of his ambition, he applies for a job at Whipsnade Zoo.

Recommendation: Full of fascinating animals and people. Buy and read if you're interested in nature.

011. B is for Burglar - Sue Grafton
The second Kinsey Millhone book. Still quite sparsely written, but not necessarily suffering from it. It was particularly pleasing to see specific reference to events from the first book - there is no 'magic reset' and Kinsey is obviously having to work her way through some emotional aftermath, even though it's lightly touched upon.

I think I may have read this years and years ago, because I knew the twists way before we got anywhere near them. Either that or it's just that predictable as a story...

Recommendation: Borrow to read rather than buy.

012. C is for Corpse - Sue Grafton
Kinsey Millhone number 3. We see Kinsey make a new friend, only to loose them again quite quickly. But it's good to see the emotional side of the detective. Again, there is reference to the aftermath of 'B is for Burglar' (more physical this time).

I was kept guessing more in this story, although I still picked the baddie and a couple of the twists quite early on.

Recommendation: Look for a copy in your library, secondhand book shop or charity shop.

Book Reviews 2008

uninvitedcat — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:48:02 GMT

Only 10 days into the new year, and I'm already running behind. Drat. So, here you go with a mass-update of book reviews.

001. The Enemy - Lee Child
Another Jack Reacher novel, this one set firmly in the past. Reacher is still in the Army and we get to see a rather more developed character. There were still annoyances in style - for example, short choppy sentences continue to abound. However, the interest of Reacher solving the mystery more than compensated. I'd probably rank this as the second best Reacher novel (after Echo Burning).

Recommendation: Read if you can borrow a copy.

002. Cap Fog, Texas Ranger, Meet Mr J.G. Reeder - J.T. Edson
Oh heck. It's another later Edson, so it pretty much sucks. 'Licensed crossover fanfic' is too kind a description. Edgar Wallace created Mr J. G. Reeder, and Edson tries unsuccessfully to play in someone else's sandpit with his own characters. Clunky and dull, plot is drowned out in a morass of incidental details that the reader just doesn't care about. Footnotes and appendicies don't make matters any better.

Recommendation: Stick with Edson's earlier books. Please.

003. The Return of Rapido Clint and Mr J.G. Reeder - J.T. Edson
A sequel that should never have been published. The writing displays most of Edson's less attractive beliefs, which make the lack of plot even more painful.

The only note of amusement came from a footnote earnestly explaining that smokers of marijuana were commonly referred to as 'Muggles'.

Recommendation: Avoid.

004. The Rio Hondo War - J.T. Edson
An earlier work of Edson's, featuring his central characters - the various members of the Hardin / Fog / Blaze clan. With an actual plot, action, and exposition delivered in a method other than huge chunky footnotes or flashback, it's a relatively entertaining read.

Recommendation: Borrow and enjoy. Briefly.

005. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
This is probably unfair to Marr's writing, but I really really do not want to read anything else featuring:
1) teenaged girl with unusual name
2) mythological creatures with an interest in said girl
3) fairies.

Seriously, I'm almost at the point of swearing in print about them. I'm all fairied out. Which is a shame, because Marr has a slightly different angle on the whole thing, and does pretty well in her world-building. One or two characters needed a bit more work, but on the whole it's not a bad story. I just don't want to hear it right now!

Recommendation: Read if you like fairies.

006. McGraw's Inheritance - J.T. Edson
Again, an earlier Edson and thus it has plot, mystery, fights, and thrilling derring-do.

Recommendation: Look at as part of the series.

007. The Unknown Soldier - Mickey Zucker Reichert
This book was on my 'To Remove' pile, and it will be staying there. It's not a bad story overall, but it is a little too pro-America-anti-everywhere-else.

Recommendation: Possibly worth a look if you like military-ish sci-fi.

Books Read in 2008

uninvitedcat — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:42:44 GMT

???. Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournell
~~???. The Prince - Dostoyevski~~ Abandoned
~~???. The Traitor Game - B R Collins~~ Abandoned

125. Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison
124. Nine Tailors - Dorothy L Sayers
123. Five Red Herrings - Dorothy L Sayers
122. Deadlock - Sara Paretsky
121. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris
120. White Night - Jim Butcher
119. Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris
118. Stolen - Kelley Armstrong
117. Proven Guilty - Jim Butcher
116. Bitten - Kelley Armstrong
115. Dead Beat - Jim Butcher
114. Blood Rites - Jim Butcher
113. Death Masks - Jim Butcher
112. Summer Knight - Jim Butcher
111. Grave Peril - Jim Butcher
110. Fool Moon - Jim Butcher
109. Storm Front - Jim Butcher
108. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
107. Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing With Fire - Derek Landy
106. Blood On The Strand - Susannah Gregory
105. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris
104. Numbers - Rachel Ward
103. White Night - Jim Butcher
102. Q is for Quarry - Sue Grafton
101. Killing Orders - Sara Paretsky
100. The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer
099. Flora Segunda of Crackpot Hall - Ysabeau Wilce
098. Frederica - Georgette Heyer
097. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
096. Club Dead - Charlaine Harris
095. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
094. The Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks - Christopher Brookmyer
093. The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong
092. Snake Agent - Liz Williams
091. Quite Ugly One Morning - Christopher Brookmyer
090. Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman! - Ralph Leighton, Richard P. Feynman, and Edward Hutchings
089. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse - Charlaine Harris
088. All Fun And Games Until Someone Looses An Eye - Christopher Brookmyre
087. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
086. Stone Heart - Charlie Fletcher
085. The Snake Stone - Jason Goodwin
084. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
083. Motor Mouth - Janet Evanovich
082. Silhouette in Scarlet - Elizabeth Peters
081. Full House - Janet Evanovich
080. A Bone To Pick - Charlaine Harris
079. Heart-Shaped Box - Joe Hill
078. Space Captain Smith - Toby Frost
077. An Utterly Impartial History of Britain or 2000 Years of Upper-Class Idiots in Charge - John O'Farrel
076. Pies and Prejudice - Stuart Marconie
075. World War Z - Max Brooks
074. The Cat Whisperer - Claire Bessant
073. Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich
072. Twelve Sharp - Janet Evanovich
071. Seven Up - Janet Evanovich
070. To The Nines - Janet Evanovich
069. Hard Eight - Janet Evanovich
068. Hot Six - Janet Evanovich
067. High Five - Janet Evanovich
066. Four To Score - Janet Evanovich
065. Ill WInd - Rachel Caine
064. Un Lun Dun - China Miéville
063. Three To Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich
062. Two For The Dough - Janet Evanovich
062. One For The Money - Janet Evanovich
061. Swahili for the Broken Hearted - Peter Moore
060. A Piano in the Pyrenees - Tony Hawkes
059. The Science Of The Discworld - Terry Pratchett, J. Cohen, and I. Stewart
058. The Cleaner - Brett Battles
057. In The Teeth Of The Evidence - Dorothy L Sayers
056. Diplomatic Baggage - Brigid Keenan
055. Bullshit - Nick Webb
054. Just One More Thing - Peter Falk
053. Something Borrowed - Paul Magrs
052. The Good, The Bad & The Undead - Kim Harrison
051. Borrower of the Night - Elizabeth Peters
050. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
049. Mortal Engines - Philip Reeve
048. Beneath The Bleeding - Val McDermid
047. Bollocks to Alton Towers - Robin Halstead, Jason Hazeley, Alex Morris & Joel Morris
046. More Bollocks to Alton Towers - Robin Halstead, Jason Hazeley, Alex Morris & Joel Morris
045. Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison
044. Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris
043. Dark Fire - C. J. Sansom
042. Grave Surprise - Charlaine Harris
041. Before They Are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie
040. The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie
039. No Humans Involved - Kelley Armstrong
038. Diplomatic Immunity - Lois McMaster Bujold
037. A Civil Campaign - Lois McMaster Bujold
036. Komar - Lois McMaster Bujold
035. Memory - Lois McMaster Bujold
034. Thud! - Terry Pratchett
033. Going Postal - Terry Pratchett
032. The Night Watch - Terry Pratchett
031. The Truth - Terry Pratchett
030. The Fifth Elephant - Terry Pratchett
029. Carpe Jugulum - Terry Pratchett
028. Maskerade - Terry Pratchett
027. The Line of Polity - Neal Asher
026. Interesting Times - Terry Pratchett
025. The Last Continent - Terry Pratchett
024. The Blind Man of Seville - Robert Wilson
023. Dissolution - C. J. Sansom
022. Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich
021. Jingo - Terry Pratchett
020. The Dark Tower - Stephen King
019. Monstrous Regiment - Terry Pratchett
018. No Second Chances - Harlan Coben
017. Tell No One - Harlan Coben
016. F is for Fugitive - Sue Grafton
015. E is for Evidence - Sue Grafton
014. D is for Deadbeat - Sue Grafton
013. Seven Up - Janet Evanovich
012. C is for Corpse - Sue Grafton
011. B is for Burglar - Sue Grafton
010. Beasts in My Belfry - Gerald Durrell
009. Hogfather - Terry Pratchett
008. Ivory - Mike Resnik
007. The Unknown Soldier - Mickey Zucker Reichert
006. McGraw's Inheritance - J.T. Edson
005. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
004. The Rio Hondo War - J.T. Edson
003. The Return of Rapido Clint and Mr J.G. Reeder - J.T. Edson
002. Cap Fog, Texas Ranger, Meet Mr J.G. Reeder - J.T. Edson
001. The Enemy - Lee Child

160. Rapido Clint - J. T. Edson

uninvitedcat — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:41:36 GMT

My word, I'd forgotten how bad the later JT Edson books were! Full of terrible footnotes, and a very ponderous method of storytelling, they're nothing like the cheerful escapism of the earlier books.

Recommendation: Unless you're a deeply committed fan, or are in pursuit of something very different, don't bother.

159. Dead Men's Boots - Mike Carey

uninvitedcat — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:39:37 GMT

Felix Castor is back! And he's still not making many friends!

If you've read (and enjoyed) Simon R. Green's Nightside books, then you definitely need to get your hands on Mike Carey's Castor books. They're what the Nightside books could have been with a higher page count and a little more development - although having said that, they're firmly in the school of 'realistic fantasy' being set in the grubby, dingy world we all inhabit.

Recommendation: Treat yourself to all three books.

158. Unnatural Death - Dorothy L. Sayers

uninvitedcat — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:36:24 GMT

An early Wimsey mystery (early within the canon chronology that is). A top-notch murder mystery book, although this reader did reach certain conclusions much sooner than the detective.

Also notable for the only all-too-accurate portrayal of the deeply regrettable standards and vocabulary that were acceptable in the 1920s. It made me glad that society has moved on in certain ways; we have further to go, but we're doing better than we were.

Recommendation: Buy and read as part of the Wimsey series.

157. Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben

uninvitedcat — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:32:26 GMT

I'm not sure if this is the first of Coben's books featuring Myron Bolitar or not, but it's not really important. Coben drops enough information into the story to get you up to speed. I did notice that some of the things established in Promise Me were contradicted here though.

Story-wise, it's starting to look like Coben has a couple of favourite themes. One is college girls / high school girls having affairs with teachers. Another one is kidnapping of those girls. Of course, having only read two of Coben's books, I'm talking about a very small sample. But if it continues, I'm going to get annoyed. I'd like to read different stories, not the same one over and over again with variations.

Recommendation: Borrow and read rather than buy.

156. The Long Habit of Living - Joe Haldeman

uninvitedcat — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:42:05 GMT

A Sci-Fi book from the 1980s, I was slightly freaked out to see a reference to the New Labour political party in the UK - very accurate forecasting! Haldeman was somewhat less accurate in the financial sphere, given that throughout this book a million pounds is deemed to be a large sum of money, well beyond the reach of the vast majority of people. I think that in today's terms to have the same impact on the reader he'd need to be referring to a billion!

However, aside from that, this book is a competent and moderately enthralling adventure/murder-mystery story that happens to feature advanced medical care, unusual drugs, space travel and a mad politician.

While the book did keep me interested, I'm still going to be getting rid of it. It's not a book I come back to again and again, and thus is not earning it's keep on my bookcase.

Recommendation: Shout early enough and you can have my copy. Otherwise, borrow or buy second-hand.

155. S is for Silence - Sue Grafton

uninvitedcat — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:42:26 GMT

Unsurprisingly, this is another Kinsey Millhone adventure. In this one, Kinsey is hired to look into the disappearance of Violet Sullivan. The main hitch is that Violet disappeared 35 years ago...

My main gripe with this book is the alternation between present-day Kinsey investigating Violet's disappearance, and a variety of happenings around the time Violet vanished back in July 1953. As far as I could tell, the main reason for these flashbacks was to try and red-herring the reader into suspecting various people and theories. So in reality, you're getting half the mystery you thought you were, and the rest of it is padding.

It's mostly quite well written padding, but still I'd have preferred more of Kinsey and her emotional state. Towards the end of the book Kinsey mentions that she'd felt a real friendship developing with Daisy (Violet's daughter), which surprised me - I'd seen very little of it in the previous pages. Or is that just me having missed a large chunk of this series, not picking up on Kinsey's overtures of friendship? Hmm.

Recommendation: Definitely one from the library or second hand bookshop, although I may revise this opinion after having read more of the preceding books.

154. Promise Me - Harlan Coben

uninvitedcat — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:35:58 GMT

Myron Bolitar answers a late night cry for help from Aimee Biel, the teenaged daughter of one of his friends. He promised that he'd help if she was ever in trouble. So he picks her up, and drops her off at an unfamiliar address that she directs him to. Unfortunately, that appears to be the last known sighting of Aimee Biel. And Aimee's mother is holding Myron at least partially responsible...

An interesting tale, although it turns out to be the eighth book featuring Myron Bolitar and his little gang of mates. I'm now wondering how much recapping of everyone's histories happens in the previous seven, and am a little scared of finding out!

Worth reading though, even if (like me) you're unfamiliar with Coben's creations.

Recommendation: Borrow from a library or friend, or buy second hand. Not quite sure it's worth the full price.