Category: Rated

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?

Posted on by Greig

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

carl?

Posted on by Greig

Fuzzy Nation

John Scalzi

Scalzi’s latest is typical of his work. Fast paced, with well conceived aliens and just a touch of Heinlein’s ultra-competent everyman.
Based on H. Beam Piper’s 1962 book Little Fuzzy, this is an attempt to re-imagine the story in a contemporary context.
The plot concerns a mining surveyor called Jack Holloway who identifies an incredibly rich seam of a rare gemstones and the existence of a group of creatures he calls the ‘little fuzzies’ in the same week.
The gems will make the corporation in charge of the planet gigantically wealthy but the existence of the fuzzies could lead to the shutdown of all mining activity under ecological law – if they can be proved to be sentient.
I enjoyed reading the book, but I couldn’t say that it struck me as being Scalzi’s best. Maybe that’s because Holloway is not terribly likeable character and the ending seems rather inevitable.
I’d recommend it to anyone who likes Scalzi’s stuff and I suspect it’d make a good introduction to science fiction for younger readers.
I’d also like to point out that Piper’s original book Little Fuzzy is available for download at Project Gutenberg for free as it’s in the public domain. It too is a pretty good read.

Rating: B

ralph?

Posted on by Greig

Agent ToThe Stars

John Scalzi

Scalzi’s first novel (written first, published later) is a fun romp set in Hollywood. Drawing on his experiences as a film critic and insider knowledge of the film business to tell the story of a showbiz agent who becomes the representative for visiting aliens.
It’s funny in the same sort of way as The Android’s Dream and at the same time has brilliant, genuinely SFnal, aliens. While being utterly different it kind of reminds me of Pratchett in that it uses humour as a foundation in order to philosophically explore real issues with a light touch.
Totally recommended if you’re looking for a fun, pacy bit of science fiction.
See here for my original review

Rating: A-

unggue?

Posted on by Greig

Snuff

Terry Pratchett

The latest Discworld novel finds us once again in the company of Pratchett’s greatest character – Sam Vimes.
Snuff finds Vimes rather reluctantly on holiday with his wife and son at her country estate. Of course, being the true copper that he is, Sam finds himself in the middle of a mystery.
What makes Pratchett great, of course, is his ability to capture the complexities and messiness of being human and part of the greater animal that is society.
His clear eyed humanism is a treasure we should cherish.
Snuff starts slowly and doesn’t spark into life until Vimes relaxes into his inquiry and feels like he’s on familiar ground. The main body of the story is typical Pratchett, beautifully told and utterly involving. However the ending is weirdly muddled, with uneven pacing and too many things left off screen and just related to the reader.
As I always say when reviewing Sir Terry – if you haven’t read his stuff please do; they are more than worth your time.
This isn’t recommended as a place to start, though. Read a few more of the Vimes books, starting with the first perhaps (Guards! Guards!), and you’ll be ready to come back and enjoy this one.

Rating: B+