Month: February 2004

228

Posted on by Greig

Only Forward

Michael Marshall Smith

This is one of my favourite books from the nineties.
This is Smith’s debut novel and tells the story of Stark.
This book starts off as a funny fast paced science fiction noir and reveals new layers of meaning underlying the events in the narrative as time goes on.
It heavily depends on the fact that our narrator, Stark, is not always telling us the whole truth.
I continue to be really moved by this book, even after a decade of re-reads.
I would urge anyone to read it.
Rating: A

227

Posted on by Greig

The Portable Door

Tom Holt

This is first of a new series by Holt, based around a leading character called Paul Carpenter.
The book starts with Carpenter going to an interview for a job. Convinced he isn’t going to get the job he obsesses over the other candidates. In particular the unpleasant thin girl in the corner.
After a very odd interview he is offered the post. On his first day he discovers that the thin girl, called Sophie, has also been given a job. Paul spends most of his time thinking about her and falling for her.
The job is boring and weird and things aren’t what they seem.
Holt is a competent writer, and can be very funny, but I’ve always had the feeling that he jumps on bandwagons rather than writing things that he really wants to. Of course, I can’t vouch for his historical novels, so I could be wrong.
Anyway this book is really very good while it’s based around the weirdness of the workplace and kind of loses steam once he introduces a fantastical element.
Worth a read though. I’ll probably read the sequel as well – which I suspect that it will irritate me.
Rating B

226

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The Well Of Lost Plots

Jasper Fforde

This is the third Thursday Next book. After the events of the previous book Thursday is hiding out in an unfinished book in the Well of Lost Plots. She is working for Jurisfiction as an apprentice agent and learning to deal with BookWorld.
The plot as slight as it is, involves Thursday in a plot to take control of BookWorld and dealing with a mindworm left with her by Aornis Hades.
Most of the book deals with her adventures in training to be a Jurisfiction agent.
It’s most definitely silly, but it’s a nice piece of world building, and while it’s the least of the books so far it’s still a fun read. Another one for the train.
Rating: B-

225

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Lost In A Good Book

Jasper Fforde

This is the second Thursday Next book. Following on from the events of The Eyre Affair, Thursday is newly married and work seems to mostly consist of doing publicity.
The plot involves Thursday butting heads with Goliath Corp once more, still getting help from her “time travelling knight errant” father, encountering Jurisfiction and dealing with a new villain who can decrease entropy.
It’s all a bit silly, but quite good fun – in fact it’s better than the first book.
An easy read, perfect for the train.
Rating: B

224

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Freshers

Kevin Sampson

I’m surprised I finished this book to be honest. It’s not really the kind of thing I would normally read.
This is the story of Kit Hannah and his first year at Sheffield University (First Year = Freshman = Fresher if you didn’t know).
The book follows him as he makes friends with Jinty, Adrian, Ben, Simon, Petra and Alex. They do the usual things that young students do, listen to alienated music, go out, get drunk, dance like a fool, take drugs, change haircuts, get pierced and fall in lust with strangers.
The main twist in the plotline is kinda bizarre and (I think) pointless – it’s there just to make you think ‘oh, that’s why’ when you don’t need a why. Of course that might be because of my Psychology background.
I’m deliberately trying to be vague here, so as to not spoil the book.
Anyway, a easy book to read, if deeply flawed in some ways. At the very least the lead character is likeable.
Rating: C

223

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The Homeward Bounders

Diana Wynne Jones

A classic “Young Adult” novel by one of my favourite writers.
Jamie stumbles across “Them” by accident one day. “They” make him a discard and he becomes a Homeward Bounder. He has to travel from world to world looking for the way home. Along the way he makes friends with Helen and Joris, travelling across worlds before the story comes to a very satisfactory ending.
I found this a bit more slight than usual for a Diana Wynne Jones book, but it’s still well written and has an involving plot.
If you’re brave enough to admit that you enjoy reading the occasional YA book, then you need to read Diana Wynne Jones. This particular book is definitely worth a read.
Rating: B

222

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Good Omens

Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

This was a comfort read – I’ve been fighting my way through a nasty little chest infection and I’ve been off work.
This is a superb comic novel based around the conceit of the coming of the Antichrist. I’m not going to spoil the plot for anyone, I’m just going to say that everyone should read this book.
Rating: A