Category: Fiction

arisaig?

Posted on by Greig

Espedair Street

Iain Banks

Espedair StreetThe last review I wrote of this book is still a pretty accurate precis of the book and my feelings about it.
I get the impression that Banks was obsessed with rock music growing up. He must have been to have constructed this ur-myth of rock stardom. He takes elements from several real bands to make his perfect vision of musicial success, excess and hubris.
What struck me during this re-read was how influential this book must have been on my idea of what a band should be like and my understanding of the music industry. So many of the music crazy people I know have read Espedair Street and I can’t help but think that there has to be a generation informed and maybe even inspired by Banks’ charming but slight tale.
I’d still recommend this book to people but with the caveat that the 25 years since publication have rendered this a period piece and that it contains attitudes that seem wildly out of date now.

Rating: B

syringes?

Posted on by Greig

Life After God

Douglas Coupland

This was one of the few remaining Douglas Coupland books that I hadn’t read.
It’s a collection of short stories, each one told in a series of short vignettes.
To be honest these are messy pieces filled with pre-millenial malaise. As such they come across as lazy and self-indulgent.
Coupland’s usual effortless style is the only thing making this collection worthwhile.
Unless you’re a fan of Coupland’s work in general I’d not recommend this particular work at all.

Rating: B-

buttercup?

Posted on by Greig

Mockingjay

Suzanne Collins

MockingjayThe final volume of the trilogy puts Katniss and her loved ones through further horrors.
The onset of war burdens her with further guilt when she’s forced into unpalatable decisions from the resulting moral quandaries.
I raced through this book, desperate to find out how things turned out. While I’m happy with the ending, I felt that there were a lot things I would have liked to have known that were left out because we’re limited to only Katniss’ view of events.
Overall I think I’d recommend the series but I’m pretty sure that some readers will find a lot to annoy them about the books.

Rating: B+

jabberjaw?

Posted on by Greig

Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins

catching fireThe second book in Collin’s popular series deals with the repercussions that follow Katniss’ actions in The Hunger Games.
Another enjoyable read, however, it definitely feels like the middle book of a trilogy.
A lot of the ground covered feels familiar from the first book and the ending is just there to tee up the final volume.
The lead character remains compelling. A flawed, deeply damaged person attempting to survive a horrific world.
I’m pretty sure if you read the first of these books you’ll know whether you want to move on to this one.

Rating: B+

nightlock?

Posted on by Greig

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

The Hunger GamesThis hit teen novel’s film adaptation is about to land at the cinema in the UK and prompted me to finally read the kindle copy I picked up on the cheap in the Amazon Xmas sale.
In this dystopian world the children of the Twelve Districts are placed in the lottery to be chosen as Tributes in the Hunger Games, one male child and one female over the age of twelve from every District. The Hunger Games act as a reminder of the consequences of rebelling against the Capitol and take the form of a vicious reality show where the participants have to kill each other with the final survivor winning a lifetime of relative luxury.
The book is a first person narrative told from the point of view of Katniss Everdeen. Katniss is old beyond her years, trusts pretty much no one and has become very skilled at hunting wild game in order to provide food and extra income for her family after the death of her father.
When her sister, Prim, is chosen for the Games Katniss volunteers to replace her and from that point she’s thrown into a media frenzy and ultimately into the Games themselves.
This not a terribly original book but it has strong characters (especially Katniss), a compelling narrative and a convincing world.
I enjoyed reading this book and I cared enough about the characters that I’m currently reading the second book in the trilogy. Recommended if a compelling young adult piece of dystopian science fiction sounds like your kind of thing.

Rating: A-

gunter?

Posted on by Greig

Ready Player One

Ernest Cline

ready player oneHeavily hyped in certain circles online this is a science fiction novel with nostalgia for the USA’s 80s nerd culture as it’s USP.
References to totems like the Atari 2600, D&D, Oingo Boingo and Family Ties pop up on nearly every page.
The plot is that it’s the 2040’s and the inventor of the globally pervasive OASIS system (like a VR combination of the internet and mmorpg worlds) died leaving his fortune and company to whomever can solve a series of puzzles he left behind, his easter egg if you will.
This is a world devastated by economic collapse and the search is frenzied initially. However, after a few years without progress only a dedicated few are still trying to crack the puzzle, one of which is a poor kid growing up in his aunt’s stack trailer. The pursuit of the easter egg is about to change his life.
This is a thoroughly entertaining read and I raced through it an a few hours.
Much of the rampant nostalgia lacks proper impact to someone who grew up with the UK version of 80’s nerddom but enough of it translates for you to understand what he’s trying to do.
I feel that it’s actually quite a slight story if you look past all the cultural signifiers but it certainly is fun.
I’d recommend it if you grew up in the 80s and fancy a quick read.

Rating: B+

licked?

Posted on by Greig

The Rook

Daniel O’Malley

the rookI first came across this book in a Big Idea piece on John Scalzi’s website.
If I had just seen it in a bookshop I would have dismissed it as mining the same territory as Charles Stross’ Laundry books but the author’s piece on the book made me intrigued enough to want to read it.
The key hook is that the lead character (the awesomely named Myfanwy Thomas) has been robbed of her memories and has to navigate her former life in the supernatural secret service and find out why her memories were taken using the notes left behind by her previous self.
It’s a really fun and quick read. It plays with the supernatural and mocks bureaucracy with equal verve.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the book I’d be a bit worried if sequels were to arrive as I can’t see how they could do anything other than bring diminishing returns.
Recommended if you’re looking for an entertaining romp.

Rating: B+

orangee?

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The Fault In Our Stars

John Green

the fault in our starsJohn Green’s latest book is about two teenagers, Hazel and Augustus, who meet in a cancer support group. Spoilers in this case would be inappropriate, so I’ll not go into any more detail.
The book is moving, amusing and frequently insightful. The characters are complex, memorable, and you like them enough to become invested in their struggles. Green has a way with a nicely turned phrase, but he still has the occasional attempt at profundity fall flat. Understandably it’s not as laugh out loud funny as the last book of his I read (An Abundance of Katherines) but there’s enough humour to leaven the subject matter and indeed a few nice in-jokes for those who follow the Green brothers on youtube.
Ultimately it feels like he gets at the truth of what it’s like to have cancer and happen to be a teenager, which is no mean feat.
I would definitely recommend this book. I suspect it’s going to stay with me for a long time.

For those that care, the signature in my copy is in blue sharpie.

Rating: A

flout?

Posted on by Greig

Making Money

Terry Pratchett

The second Moist von Lipwig book is a very entertaining romp. Not as powerful or as moving as the very top echelon of Pratchett’s work can be, but very much worth a read.
Previously reviewed in 2007 and 2009. This re-read was prompted by a showing of the Sky production of Going Postal over xmas. It’s probably the best of all the Discworld adaptations so far, with the performance by Claire Foy as Adora Belle Dearheart a particular standout.

Rating: B+

neitherlands?

Posted on by Greig

The Magician King

Lev Grossman

The Magician KingThe sequel to The Magicians.
If The Magicians was Grossman’s deconstruction of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, then this is his Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Of course that doesn’t really do either book justice, and is a real disservice to the quality of what Grossman does here.
He writes an excellent fantasy novel that is somehow simultaneously a love letter to the genre and a critical response to it.
The highlight of this book is Julia’s back story, told in alternate chapters with the main plot.
I’d recommend this without hesitation to anyone who read The Magicians. Everyone else should go read that first book and then move on to this one.
I personally can’t wait til the third book.

Rating: A