An incomplete list of what I read in 2014 (Long) in Back entries: 2013 - 2015

Not a complete list of everything I read last year, just the ones I had time to review on here. I did actually restart writing in my book journal last year, and I plan on keeping up that habit this year.

Book: Childhood’s End
Posted on: March 5, 2014
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 212
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Premise: When the Overlords appear over every city on Earth, mankind finds itself agreeing to their few demands. Poverty and war no longer exist, and the Earth finds itself unified. But what brings the Overlords to Earth in the first place?

My thoughts: I was tempted to read this, after watching a TV show on how influential certain sci-fi writers have been on society. I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Songs Of Distant Earth or Rendezvous With Rama, but still an interesting read. Without giving away spoilers, the last third or so of the book was slightly disappointing. I might re-read it at some point.

Book Title: Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII (SOME SPOILERS)
Posted on: March 16, 2014
Author: David Starkey
Pages: 852, including Notes and Index
Publisher: Perennial
Genre: Biography

Thoughts: This is supposed to be a book dedicated to the six very different women that married Henry VIII over the course of his reign. The way that Starkey wrote this book meant that each wife was dedicated a different amount of pages, based on how long they were married to the king. So, Catherine of Aragon got a lot of air time - after all, she was married to Henry the longest. The problem, however, came when dealing with Queens such as Jane Seymour. Far too little “air time”. It would have been nice if Seymour is given a bit more than a 24 page chapter.

This next bit may be considered a “spoiler” but I feel I need to mention it. Catherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s queens, became his widow. I did feel a little bit cheated on the fact that what happened to Catherine next was a mere three and a bit paragraphs. Starkey did mention in his introduction that he has “already told the end of Catherine’s story in my Elizabeth”. (page xxvi of the introduction). Part of me would have felt better reading what happens to Catherine after her marriage to Henry ended in this book. She was, after all, married to Henry. I would have liked to have read more of Anne of Cleves after her marriage to Henry VIII failed as well. So, I’m a little disappointed with this book…other authors have captured the six women so much better. I would recommend reading Antonia Frasier or Alison Weir over Starkey’s effort.

Book Title: The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao
Posted On: March 20, 2014
Author: Junot Diaz
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 335

Thoughts: My mother occasionally sends me books to read, or lets me know of titles that she’s found interesting. Most, I’ll be honest, aren’t really my cup of tea. Having said that, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was brilliant. It’s the story of a Dominican-American, overweight nerd who is conscious that his love life is rubbish (no matter how hard he seems to try). His sister wants to go and do her own thing, and their (single) mother has had to deal with illness and hardship over her life. This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and it’s easy to see why. Highly recommended. Sympathetic characters, easy to get into and one of those books that won’t leave you alone once you’ve put it down.

Book Title: Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
Posted On: March 25, 2014

This is the first in the series of four historical crime fiction novels involving the hump-backed lawyer Matthew Shardlake. The year is 1537, and Henry VIII is the Supreme Head of the Church. Thomas Cromwell has sent commissioners to investigate the monasteries. Matthew Shardlake soon finds himself being sent to solve the murder of one of Cromwell’s commissioners at a monastery on the Sussex coast. However, he finds himself questioning everything he believes as the investigation progresses.

I finished this today, and have the next two books in the series. This book was almost impossible to put down. I spent most of the day reading this, and doing very little else. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Genre: Historical/Crime Fiction
Pages: 463, including the first chapter of Dark Fire
Publisher: Pan Books

Book Title: A Short History Of Tractors In Ukranian by Marina Lewycka
Posted On: March 27, 2014

This is the story of feuding sisters Vera and Nadezhda, who find themselves uniting against a common enemy. Their 84 year old father’s new wife, thirty six year old Valentina, a woman who is nothing but trouble. In their efforts to get rid of Valentina, the two sisters embark on a journey of discovery into their family’s past. I picked this up last Friday, from my favourite bookshop in this town. It was one of their “blind date with a book” series, and was curious with the brief description on the front of the brown paper parcel - “literature, father-daughter, mid life crisis, hilarious” was all it said.

I will be re reading this at some point - it certainly was interesting. Some of the subject matter, in particular the aspect about the new couple reminded me a little of something that happened in my grandfather’s life. But that is an entry for another day. This took me three days to read, in between other bits and pieces I had to do.

Pages: 326, including website acknowledgements
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin

Book Title: Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom
Posted On: April 2, 2014

In 1540, Matthew Shardlake is trying to keep his legal practice going. He finds himself racing against time to try and solve two cases - he’s the defence lawyer for a girl accused of murdering her young cousin, and to try and locate the formula for Greek Fire after the two who claimed to have discovered it have been murdered. I didn’t enjoy this as much as I did Dissolution or Revelation (books one and four of the series), but the whole thing about Greek Fire was interesting. Four out of five stars.

Book Two of the Matthew Shardlake series
Genre: Historical/Crime Fiction
Pages: 595, including Historical Note, Acknowledgements and the first chapter of Sovereign

Three reviews posted on: April 11, 2014
During the last couple of weeks, I’ve finished three books worth reviewing. The first one is The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon (272 pages, with appendix). The story of fifteen year old, maths and science wiz Christopher who just so happens to be attending special education classes. When he discovers his neighbour’s dog murdered, he decides to go hunt down the killer.

This book was brilliant. The type of book that I never wanted to finish reading, the character of Christopher stayed with me after I closed the book. It’s going on my “top ten favourite” books list. I’ve already recommended this to my mother (and I don’t tend to recommend books to her, as I’m never sure if she’ll ever read them). Five out of five stars.

The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Levin (243 pages) is the story of the widowed owner of a failing bookshop who has his life changed by two people - the new book rep and an abandoned baby left in his store. It’s not as good as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, but it’s worth a read. I may re-read this at some point in the future. A good summer read. I saw it advertised in a book shop catalogue, and was glad I picked it up. Four stars out of five.

Looking For Alaska by John Green (272 pages, including a chapter called Some Last Words On Last Words and Acknowledgements) is about a young man called Miles Halter, who changes schools and meets the interesting Alaska Young. What happens next changes his life. This is Green’s debut novel, and as debuts go it’s not bad. Not quite my cup of tea, but a quick and easy read. Perhaps a little predictable in parts, I found. Which was a shame. Still, it’s another book I’m glad I read but I don’t know if I want to re-read it. Probably three stars out of five.

Book Title(s): Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez/Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Posted On: April 21, 2014

Strange Pilgrims (pages: 188) is a collection of short stories and the first GGM work that I’ve read in a while. A few of these stuck with me long after I turned the last page. The prostitute who’s training her dog to weep at her grave and the young woman who’s stuck in a nightmare-ish position after her car breaks down in “I Only Came To Use The Phone” are just two of the interesting characters that I would have loved to have read more about. Certainly worth reading again at some stage in the future.

Rebecca (pages: 441 including an afterword by Sally Beauman) is the story of a young lady’s companion who finds herself marrying a wealthy widower and settling in to her new role. But the memory of the past and his deceased wife lives on in the housekeeper. An interesting read, and worth re-reading at some point.

I’m currently reading Queen Emma and the Vikings by Harriet O’Brien - I’m nearly half way through and I’m loving it.

Book Title: Queen Emma and the Vikings by Harriet O’Brien
Posted On: April 25, 2014

This is the biography of the woman who was to marry two kings (Aethelred “the Unready” and Cnut/Canute) and is set in eleventh century England. She was great-aunt to William the Conqueror and saw two of her sons crowned. I picked this up, along with a few others when I went to a book sale last week. It’s a good introduction to Emma and the situation England faced a little while before the Norman Conquest. Very interesting, if perhaps a little dry. There may not be heaps and heaps of source material available, but it does show that O’Brien worked very hard in producing a great introduction to this fascinating time in history.

Pages: 264 (including Epilogue, Chronology, Notes, Select Bibliography and Index)
Currently reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Book Title(s): Burial Rites/No Fixed Abode
Posted On: May 1, 2014

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (pages: 338, including Author’s Note and Acknowledgements) is set in Iceland in 1829. Agnes Magnusdottir is sentenced to death for her involvement in the murder of two men, and finds herself sent to live out her last days on District Officer Jon Jonsson’s farm. The Jonsson family find it difficult to accept the situation, while Agnes’ spiritual advisor finds himself curious as to why she’s asked for him by name. This was a decent read and based on a true story - one of those books I’d recommend to people if they’ve read Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (similar themes). I know very little about Icelandic history, and this book makes me want to hunt down more books on the country - fact and fiction.

No Fixed Abode by Charlie Carroll (pages: 283, including Acknowledgements) is a mix of travelogue and current affairs. After Carroll loses his job, he decides to become a tramp, take some basic supplies and walk from Cornwall to London to try and get an understanding of what it’s like. It’s certainly a good introduction into the subject of homeless and the attitudes that those with homes and those without have towards each other. A good introduction to the subject of tramping and homelessness and another subject I think I’ll go and find out more about.

Book Title(s): Mrs Dalloway/Gone Girl
Posted On: May 12, 2014

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (Pages: 172) is the story of Clarissa Dalloway and some of her acquaintances on the day of her throwing a party. Remembrances of their past and incidents over the course of the day ensures that characters re-examine the choices they’ve made during their lives. A quick read, and one of those “glad I read it” books. The sub plot involving Septimus and Lucrezia and their relationship was what really got to me and was perhaps the most moving aspect of this book. One of those books that I would recommend to people.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Pages: 475, including a section “Reading Group Notes”) has Nick Dunne coming home on his fifth wedding anniversary to find his wife, Amy, missing. He finds himself the prime suspect in her disappearance, with unusual searches on his computer and the disturbing news that Amy told people she was scared of him. I finished this earlier today, it took me probably a day in total to read. (Two small reading sessions over the course of the weekend, in-between shifts at work, and this morning). I am not a hundred per cent sure that I enjoyed the ending, I can’t quite put my finger on why. I can see why people rave about Gone Girl, but the ending didn’t feel as strong as the rest of the book for me. Maybe I’m getting a little fussy nowadays. I might re-read this at some stage, but I may give Flynn’s other works a try first.

Book Title(s): Dark Places/Cat’s Cradle
Posted On: May 23, 2014

In Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (Pages: 424, including Acknowledgments), Libby Day has been spending several years drifting since giving damning evidence against her older brother in court as a child. When she is contacted by a group who believe her brother is innocent of the murders of their sisters and mother, she finds herself doubting everything she believed. This was a so-so read. Not as involving as the first two thirds or so of Gone Girl, if I’m honest. I’m a bit torn around the ending - some of it didn’t sit right with me. Just a little too “seriously? That’s how [character] dealt with it?” sort of reaction.

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (Pages: 206), on the other hand, was brilliant. The premise is this: Jonah is writing a book on Dr. Felix Hoenikker, and the day when one of the atomic bombs hit Japan. He finds out that Hoenikker has left a rather worrying legacy to mankind - ice-nine. A chemical that can freeze the entire planet. Jonah sets off to find out where the ice-nine is, and winds up on a Caribbean island....

I picked this up as part of a “three for the price of two” deal one of the bookstore chains here are doing. I wasn’t sure, when I started reading, if I was going to like this book. I really enjoyed it. The beginning is a little slow, but when the story gets going I found that I couldn’t put it down. A book worth a re-read, and worth every penny I paid for it.

Book Title(s): Sharp Objects/The Day of the Triffids
Posted On: June 3, 2014

I’m not sure why I picked up Sharp Objects (Gillian Flynn, 328 pages including acknowledgements and reading notes). The story is about Camille Preaker, who is sent to investigate the disappearance of two young girls in the town she grew up in. However, she’s haunted by a family tragedy and problems within her family. The ending was somewhat predictable, and I struggled to become “involved” with the characters.

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham (233 pages) is a fantastic read. When Bill Masen wakes up in his hospital bed and removes the bandages around his eyes, he realises he is one of the few who can see. The majority of the population has been rendered blind by a meteor shower. Not only that, but mankind is threatened by the dangerous triffids (deadly plants that can walk). The writing sucked me in from the first sentence. I tend to read when I’m on an exercise bike at the gym, and found myself in for a bit of a shock when I was at the end of my workout because I had to put the book down and pay attention to the real world. I was so engrossed in my reading! Worthwhile reading, and I’m glad I picked this up.

Book Title: Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
Posted On: June 6, 2014

There may or may not be spoilers in this entry....I loved this book. When Mary Yellan promises her dying mother that she will go and live with her aunt and uncle, she has no idea the danger that she will find herself in. She is befriended by a parson and a rogue, but are these friendships enough to help her?

I found this book far superior to Rebecca, it was far more gripping. I found that the atmosphere of the Cornish moors is portrayed brilliantly, as is the sense of dread with every scrape that Mary finds herself in. I felt that the book was an emotional roller coaster almost, one roots for Mary from the beginning. When I read the last line of the book and closed it, I had a sense of relief and hope for the future of certain characters. A really enjoyable read, and one of those “winter” reads…I found myself curled up in bed in the evenings (and some lazy mornings too) engrossed in it.

Pages: 267

Book Title(s): The Sirens of Titan/The Bell Jar
Posted On: June 19, 2014

The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut (pages: 224) is about Winston Niles Rumfoord and his dog Kazak. The pair flew into a chrono-synclastic infundibulum, which means they spend their time as energy until a planet crosses their paths. It means that they return to Earth for an hour every fifty-nine days. When Malachi Constant hears from Winston that he is about to go on to an adventure that covers planets, a moon and that someone close to Winston is going to have a big part in his future, he doesn’t believe it.

To be honest, I don’t think The Sirens of Titan was as good as Cat’s Cradle in terms of writing style. The story line was interesting to some extent, but I did find that my interest ebbed and flowed throughout the book a bit too much. I may read this again at some stage.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (pages: 234) was a re-read and didn’t take me long to get through. I am suffering the end of a cold, and on Tuesday I was feeling pretty rubbish so I spent the day reading this. In 1953, Esther Greenwood has an internship with a fashion magazine in New York. However, she finds herself spiralling towards depression....

It was an alright read, although I think my judgement on it is clouded by the fact that I was pretty knackered and very snuffly. The Bell Jar didn’t grab my interest the same way that other books on mental illness have done (for example One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, which I have already read two or three times), but it’s still interesting.

Book Title(s): Girl With A Pearl Earring/The Faithful Executioner
Posted On: June 26, 2014

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (248 pages) is a re-read for me, and was one of six books I bought for myself on my birthday a couple of weeks ago. (I’ve already read and reviewed two others in my last entry). Set in Delft in the 1600s, Griet has to go and work for the artist Johannes Vermeer and his family as a maid to help support her family after her father is blinded. What happens during her time with the Vermeer family changes her life....

The first time I read this, I wound up sitting in front of the computer googling some of Vermeer’s work whenever a description of one of his paintings came up (I’m not much of an art person). I was very tempted to do this again during my re-reading, but decided to just sit back and enjoy the book instead. I thought this was a brilliant book and worth the re-read.

The Faithful Executioner by Joel F. Harrington (283 pages, including notes, acknowledgements and index) is about Meister Frantz Schmidt, an executioner in sixteenth century Nuremburg. Harrington found Schmidt’s journal in a German bookshop, and was intrigued with it. Meister Schmidt worked for forty five odd years as an executioner, an occupation deemed “dishonourable” back then. It was interesting to read about what bought Schmidt into that occupation, and how he tried to get rid of the stigma surrounding his occupation for his children’s sakes. A bit morbid, and one of those books that I’m glad I read, but I’m not sure if I’ll read it again. I’ll leave it on my bookshelf for now, just in case I change my mind.

Book Title: Restaurant Babylon (Second Entry of the Day)
Posted On: June 26, 2014

My second entry today’s going to be a bit of a short one. Restaurant Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones and Anonymous (384 pages) is twenty four hours in the life of a divorced owner of three food establishments in London - Le Restaurant, Le Table and Le Bar. The different scrapes he and his staff find themselves in, the adventures that they’ve been in over the years, etc. I really felt like more of a light read after The Faithful Executioner, which is why I picked this one up. I’d seen a copy at an airport in January, on my way to Cambodia for a bit of a break. It’s one of those light, quick reads (I described it as more “bubble gum for the brain” in my book journal entry today). It’ll be staying with the other books I’ve got in the Babylon series, in case I want to read “fluff” again.

Book Title(s): A Room Of One’s Own/House Made of Dawn
Posted On: July 8, 2014

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (112 pages) was interesting - it came from a lecture that Woolf presented at Girton College, Cambridge on creativity, and women’s writing. Mum sent me one of those literary mugs that have book titles on them for my birthday, which convinced me to go and actually read this. A very quick, interesting read with discussions on Austen and Charlotte Bronte and a few thoughts on what would have happened if Shakespeare had a gifted sister.

House Made of Dawn is the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Native American writer N. Scott Momaday (200 pages, including About the Author, About the Book, and a section called “Read On”). I’d come across a short story by Momaday a while back, when I was reading a collection of short stories written by Native Americans, and I wanted to keep an eye out for any more works by the contributing authors. It took me ages to find a copy of this particular book. It’s the story of a young man named Abel who returns from serving in WWII, and finds himself torn between the culture of his ancestors and the culture of industrial America. This clash spells his descent into hell. I can see myself rereading this at some point in the future - a fascinating novel.

Book Title(s): The Heretic’s Daughter/Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant/Harry Potter book 1
Posted On: July 26, 2014

The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent (332 pages) tells the story of the Carrier family, through the eyes of the daughter (Sarah). Sarah recounts their lives in Andover, near Salem, and the promise she makes to her mother when accusations of witchcraft are levelled at their family. This was one of those “meh” books. As much as I wanted to feel sorry for Sarah and her siblings, I just could not connect with all that many of them during the course of the book. The character development was a bit flat and I found myself struggling to finish this book. A very average book, and the subplot about the book that Martha gives her daughter seems to go no-where.

Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant by Owen Beddall with Libby Harkness(294 pages, including Acknowledgements and About The Author) is pretty much what it says on the tin. It’s the story of Beddall’s real life experiences with Qantas over a ten year period. Interesting reading, and suitable for those who are fans of the Babylon series by Imogen Edwards-Jones and Anonymous. My only gripe was the name dropping - it got a little dull after a while! I wanted to read more about the whole customer service type of thing, more detail on what is involved on a shift as a flight attendant, etc.

Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (223 pages) was a re-re-read for me. I’d picked this up at the domestic terminal of an Australian airport, on my way home from visiting Tim interstate - he’d gone to look after two of his daughters for a weekend. I had taken my copy of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley over, and had finished it before my flight home. Faced with a really dull flight home, I looked for something quick and light (I tend to prefer this sort of reading material on flights - I don’t want to think, especially when I’m flying through time zones). And I settled on this. When I went to pay, the cashier had a huge brain fart and it took him ages to try and fix his error (the book cost me $16.95 - I paid with a twenty dollar note and the exact change, so I would get a $5 note back. He’d put in some silly figure like two thousand and one dollars, ninety five cents into the till as how much I’d given him). Anyway, a very quick read. On his eleventh birthday, Harry finds out he’s a wizard and is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As with most fads and crazes, I tend to start getting into it after it’s been and gone. I remember when this book first came out, the older three of my first cousins got right into it. My grandmother was telling me about it, knowing I read heaps, and I guess I just shrugged it off and went and read something else.

Book Title(s): Selected Short Stories/No One Writes To The Colonel
Posted On: Aug. 7, 2014

A couple of weeks ago, I managed to track down a copy of Guy de Maupassant’s Selected Short Stories (368 pages, introduction and translation by Roger Colet). I’d picked up a copy about eleven years ago when I was doing a short Creative Writing course, and loved it. But since then, that copy’s gone missing. Just before I left my last job, I popped into a second hand/antique book store near to work and found this for only $2.

The first story is “Boule de Suif”, the story about a prostitute and her travelling companions who are prevented from starting the second part of their journey due to a Prussian soldier. It stuck with me all these years, in particular the ending - how she’s treated. I’d forgotten a lot about the other stories, so it was interesting to read these again. I can see myself dipping in to the book for and re-reading a couple of stories - examples being “The Horla”, a horror story with a questionable narrator, “Madame Tellier’s Establishment” (about a brothel owner and her charges going to a First Communion) and “A Ruse” (a doctor reminisces about when his discretion was required).

No One Writes To The Colonel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (69 pages) is about a Colonel and his sick wife. Every Friday for the past fifteen years, he has waited for the mail launch - for the letter carrying his pension cheque. While the couple wait (and try and figure out where the next meal will come from), he pins his hopes on a bird that he hopes will win the cockfighting season. This was a very depressing read. I felt a mix of emotions during the reading of this book - sympathy for the forgotten Colonel and his wife, admiration for their resourcefulness while they wait…I’ve been wanting to read this for a while and was so glad I picked this up. Definitely recommended.

Book Title(s): Inverted World/Tulip Fever/Fast Food Nation
Posted On: Aug. 10, 2014

In Inverted World by Christopher Priest (303 pages), Earth City citizen Helward Mann is apprenticed to the guild his father belongs to - the Future Surveyors. While the City is falling behind the “optimum” and faces serious problems, Helward’s apprenticeship is changing his life in ways he does not expect.

This is an unusual book for me - even though the ending was a let down, it is still something I will be looking at re-reading at some stage. I did have an idea on the twist ending, but chose to continue reading to find out how the twist happened, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem I had was that the ending felt hurried and unsatisfactory which was a huge shame compared to the rest of the book. Having said that though, the book did affect me - after I finished the last page, I put the book down and couldn’t bring myself to start reading anything until the following day. I wanted to just think about what I’d just read.

Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach (281 pages) was a book I’d picked up at my favourite book shop. This was one they’d put in their “blind date with a book” shelf - each book is wrapped in brown paper, and a price tag is attached via string tied around the paper. On the wrapping is a series of words or phrases designed to give an indication of what the book is about. The good thing about books on this shelf is that if you have a copy at home, you can return your “blind date” book with your receipt and get a new one.

Anyway, I picked this one up - the words/phrases on the brown paper were: “fiction, Amsterdam, art, exoticism, read if you loved Girl With A Pearl Earring”. I loved Girl...., however Tulip Fever was a bit of a disappointment compared to it. It’s set in Amsterdam in the 1630s. Everyone’s going crazy over tulips. Cornelis Sandvoort has a young, beautiful wife (Sophia) and wealth. But he really wants an heir, which hasn’t happened. Cornelis hires Jan van Loos to paint a portrait of him and Sophia, little knowing how his life and marriage will be affected. A very average read - I did feel something for Cornelis over the course of the book. His was the only character that seemed at all fleshed out. This is going to the book exchange when I have time.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (386 pages, including photo credits, notes, bibliography, acknowledgements and index) discusses what goes on behind the scenes in the fast food industry - what McDonalds fries are cooked in, how safe the abattoirs are, how safe is the food? This was an interesting read - rather enlightening, albeit the writing is a little dry. I don’t know if it was just because I was trying to read it through a cold, but I had slight problems maintaining my interest.

Book Title: Generals Die In Bed
Posted On: Aug. 20, 2014

This is probably going to be a shorter entry than I normally do for book reviews. Got a busy day ahead of me.

Generals Die In Bed (208 pages) is the first person narrative about a young solder sent off to serve in the trenches of World War I. He finds his troop fighting for survival, with lice and rats for company. There are some scenes in this book that stuck with me long after I finished reading the last sentence - his killing a German solder with his bayonet (and then having to discharge his weapon to get it back) is one. His trying to describe how he feels later to a woman he meets, who responds with a smile “You silly boy. I thought you had really murdered someone”. (Page 132). Like All Quiet On The Western Front, this is going to stick with me for a long time. A very haunting read.

Book Title: Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Posted On: Aug. 31, 2014

This is the first volume in the Farseer Trilogy, set in the Kingdom of the Six Duchies. Fitz is the illegitimate son of the Crown Prince, who abdicates his position when Fitz’s existence becomes common knowledge. As a young boy, his mother’s family leaves him with the court to raise. Soon he’s not only given the opportunity to learn about Farseer magic, but he also starts his training as an assassin.

This was a slight disappointment, I thought. A former workmate of mine recommended this series to me, and I picked up the trilogy as I am looking for decent fantasy series to read in my spare time while I wait for the next book in A Song Of Ice And Fire series to be finished and released. I was expecting a little more “grit”. I finished this at the beginning of the week, and have only just now had time to write a review due to the fact that I’m now working full time. The big problem is that I’m struggling a little to remember various (important) bits of the storyline at the moment, which isn’t a good thing seeing as I’ve only recently finished reading it! Assassin’s Apprentice was a very light read, some aspects were interesting - the backdrop of the civil war, Forging, the Red Ships all being examples. I did find myself beginning to care for a few of the characters and there was enough of a storyline to keep my interest.

I try and make a point of trying to vary genre matter when I move from one book to the next - for example, if I finish a fantasy book then I won’t pick up another fantasy straight away. Similarly, if I’m reading something thought-provoking (a good classic, a well written biography or piece of non-fiction), I will give my brain a rest and choose something a lot lighter for my next read. Otherwise I find myself being unable/unwilling to get into whatever I’m reading. So, I’m considering reading the next book in the series (Royal Assassin) once I’ve finished what I’m currently reading. Hopefully, it’ll be a better read! I just need to go back over the epilogue, and maybe the last couple of pages of the book to remind myself as to what happened in preparation.

Pages: 392. Genre: Fantasy. Book One of the Farseer Trilogy. Book I’m now reading: How To Be A Victorian by Ruth Goodman

Book Title: How To Be A Victorian/Tuesdays With Morrie
Posted On: Sept. 12, 2014

How To Be A Victorian by Ruth Goodman (Pages: 458, including Acknowledgements and Index) was an interesting read - although I thought it was a little dry in parts. Every chapter details how the Victorian commoner lived, from getting up in the morning and dressing to work and school. It was interesting to read how fashions, work life and travel options changed over the course of Queen Victoria’s reign. Goodman draws on her experience with the period, as she spent a year on a Victorian farm, and this personal touch adds to the reading experience. Glad I picked it up. 4.5 stars.

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom (197 pages) takes us through the advice one of Albom’s former professors gives him. Morrie Schwartz taught Albom over twenty years prior to the meetings documented in the book, and they wind up meeting up again. This time, Morrie is seriously ill. The pair meet up every Tuesday until Morrie’s passing, and Morrie shares his personal thoughts and advice on life. It was an interesting read, although I’m not sure I’d read it again. I can see why it was a bestseller, but it lacks that certain spark for me.

Entry Title: You Never Said A Word (Book Reviews)
Posted and Revised On: Oct. 13, 2014,
Just a bit of a catch up on book reviews…

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (294 pages) was one of four books I picked up recently from my favourite bookshop. They have a “blind date with a book” stand, and this was on there wrapped in brown paper. The wording on the paper read “Prediction, torture, insanity, imagination, science fiction”, which got my attention. The book is about a heavily tattooed man, who meets with the unnamed narrator. The tattooed man finds his illustrations a curse, and has tried to get rid of them - they come alive at night and tell their stories. Each chapter matches up with a different illustration. Really imaginative, and definitely worth the read.

Jem by Fredrik Pohl (300 pages) is about the discovery of an inhabitable planet. The three power blocs on Earth are struggling - resources are running out. Representatives fly to the new planet, attempting to make contact with the intelligent species who live there, and old problems arise. A decent read, and it’s going on my “re-read” pile. It’s a tad depressing in a way. As I put the book down for the last time, I couldn’t help thinking about how mankind would react around new races and new civilisations. The book certainly mirrored mankind’s greed, violence and selfishness.

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin (275 pages) was a tad disappointing. It’s the story of Dorothy, a wealthy university student who finds herself attracted to a handsome young man in one of her classes. When she winds up pregnant, her boyfriend offers her a way out with potentially disastrous consequences. This was another of the packages on the “blind date with a book” stand. The brown wrapper stated “classic, young love, an awkward pregnancy, an all too convenient solution”. I was thinking about reading some of Levin’s other work, but I’m not sure after reading this one. The beginning was really strong, and then the middle fell flat in my opinion.

The Sea and Summer by George Turner (364 pages, including postscript) is set in Melbourne, Australia. It’s 2041, and the Earth is essentially screwed. The government is corrupt, ninety per cent of the world’s population is broke and has to rely on what little the government is willing to give them. This is the story of Francis and his family, and their fall from wealth. It was a good read, albeit perhaps a little too long. I felt that the ending was a little forgettable, which was a shame as there is such an important message in the book. Definitely worth the read though, just for the message.

Looking back at The Sea and Summer, there is a particular song I’ve been hearing on the radio that reminds me of the story arc. I figured I may as well include that here as I finish my entry.

It certainly fits the mood of the book and certain aspects of the storyline. Enjoy.

Book Title(s): Tau Zero/The Thirteenth Tale
Posted On: Nov. 11, 2014

Tau Zero by Poul Anderson (190 pages) is about the crew of the space ship Leonora Christine, who are on their way to a planet thirty light years away. When an accident leaves the ship hurtling into unknown space, the crew must not only try and slow down but keep themselves sane under the realisation that they may be the last humans alive…

A decent read, the only main issue I have is that the ending was a bit unsatisfying for me. A bit too convenient. Otherwise, an interesting premise and the loneliness of the crew and the need for contact with “outside” certainly comes across.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (456 pages) is about a bookseller’s daughter who meets Vida Winter, a famous author. Vida has spent a significant portion of her life creating stories, but how much of what is “known” about her real? This book started off so well, yet the pace fell flat half way through. Which was disappointing. The ending was forgettable, I found myself at the stage where I was reading because I had nothing better to do. 3 out of 5 stars.

Last updated December 21, 2015