Rockbooks Review

The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson

2012-01-26T18:06:00.000-08:00

The Star of Kazan
Eva Ibbotson
2004, MacMillan, London
0330418025
388p.

Annika was abandoned as a baby in a little church in Austria and taken home by servants of a great house in Vienna. Shortly after an old lady leaves Annika a trunk full of fake jewels in her will, Annika's mother - a noble woman - returns to take her home.

This is an interesting children's book. I don't think I've ever read a children's book so full of the history of pre-WWI Europe. It was fascinating to real of the old noble families and the social structures. The story was predictable, but it is only meant for children.

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The Children's Writer by Gary Crew

2012-01-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

The Children's Writer
Gary Crew
2009, HarperCollins, Sydney
9780732285869
233p.

Charlie, aspiring writer and uni student is living with his partner Lootie, when a favourite childhood author comes into their lives and changes things between them.

I totally bought into the voice of the narrator from the start which often doesn't happen when you know the author, but Charlie is written really, really well. I've so enjoyed being with these people over the last few days, even though the story is not exactly a positive one. Also, I should have seen the end coming, but did not. lol

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

2012-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
Allison Hoover Bartlett
2009, Kindle Edition
1594488916
unnumbered

True story of a man who wanted to gain a rare book collection, but didn't have the money. So he took the next logical step - he stole them.

This book just makes me want to collect rare books! I could smell them! I found Gilkey's reasons for stealing to seem really quite immoral and yet make total sense - as a bibliophile.

The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston

2011-12-07T15:59:00.001-08:00

The Demon in the Freezer
Richard Preston
2002, Headline, London
075531218X
296p.

Non-fiction about the eradication of small-pox, the anthrax attacks in America just after the World Trade Centre attacks and the future possibility of a terror attack using an engineered version of the small pox virus.

This was a scary read, and sometimes a little gross. One of the earliest scenes is of an autopsy on one of the anthrax victims - let's just say it involves a ladle! It was written in accessible language (or I thought it was accessible, but then I work in a lab). It was very hard to put down.

The Running Man by Richard Bachman

2011-11-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

The Running Man
Richard Bachman
1982, 2007, Kindle Edition, Amazon
0451197968
340p.

Set in the future where the gap between the poor and the wealthy is large, one of the only ways for the poor to make money is to participate in humiliating and often dangerous games which are broadcast on "free-vee". Ben Richards is selected to be in the most dangerous game of all, "Running Man", where he is a fugitive trying to escape killers for up to one month. No one has ever survived.

An excellent book by King - not horror so much but definitely gory! The characters are so well developed, the reader can't help but to be drawn into their lives.

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

2011-11-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

The Carbon Diaries 2015
Saci Lloyd
2008, Hodder, London
9780340970157
379p.

Global warming due to human behaviour has caused catastrophic changes to the Earth. In order to rectify the situation, the UK government introduces 'carbon points' which limit citizens' use of transport, electricity and general consumption.

If you can get past the whining self-indulgent teenage protagonist, this turns into a good story. It is a little preachy and a bit simple at times, but it is written for children. I enjoyed the book.

Link to journal entry at bookcrossing

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

2011-10-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

Brave New World
Aldous Huxley
1932, 2008, Amazon Kindle
0582060168
256p.

A dystopian view of the future where people are genetically engineered and socially conditioned from before birth to fit in to the role which society has ordained for them. Everyone is happy and there is no violence. There's also no art, no truth and no freedom as we define it.

I read this expecting it to be a true dystopia, however, the concerning thing I found was that the society depicted in the novel is very much like the society I find myself in. People are encouraged to not think, to be promiscuous, childhood sexual behaviour is encouraged, entertainment does not tell of truth and beauty but simply tells a story for the sake of itself. Extroverts are thought of as normal and introverts as perverted and weird. If you are feeling unhappy, you must take drugs to fix it, to make the feeling go away. Consumerism is the basis of society (Henry T Ford is God); if something is broken, we replace, we do not mend (the more stitches, the less riches).

So all in all, I found this to be one of the most disturbing dytopias I have ever read.

Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall by Thomas Hopp

2011-10-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall
Thomas Hopp
2011, Kindle Edition, Amazon
ASIN: B004IWQXKW
unnumbered

A probe finds an abandoned base on the moon which was not put there by humans. It was put there by ... dinosaurs! And now the dinosaurs are reawoken and want their planet back.

This was just awesome. I mean, space dinosaurs from the moon? What's not to love? And for a Kindle Freebie, you can't go wrong.

Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

2011-09-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

Damned
Chuck Palahniuk
2011, Amazon Kindle e-book
unnumbered

Madison is the overweight and spoilt 13 year old daughter of a movie star and producer, the only thing is, she's dead ... and in hell.

This was another awesome book by Palahniuk! He's so good, and so, so bad. I loved the character development in this, Madison is a fantastic character. They all are fantastic characters, the dialogue is witty and situation hilarious. I think this is my first 10 star review of the year!

Growing up Amish by Ira Wagler

2011-09-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Growing up Amish
Ira Wagler
2011, Tyndale, Kindle Edition
1414339364
unnumbered

Ira is born into the Amish church but does not feel at home in that culture. When he is a teenager he leaves one night under the cover of darkness to make his way in the 'world'. Over the next few years he returns and releaves.

This was thoroughly uninspiring. It wasn't a bad book, but it didn't give a real in depth insight into Amish culture, it's more about the author's life which is fair enough seeing as it's a biography. lol. Also, at the end, it turns into a Christian book which was mildly disappointing, I don't like being unexpectedly evangelised to.

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

2011-09-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

The Omnivore's Dilemma
Michael Pollan
2006, Kindle Edition
9781594200823
un-numbered

This is the first book I read on my Kindle. Michael Pollan decides to eat three meals from three very different ways of procuring food: the factory farm; the sustainable organic farm; and hunting and gathering.

I read this because it was recommended to me by a vegan so I thought it would be a little more powerful in the anti-meat department, but on the contrary, it gave some very logical reasons why humans should eat meat. He's a very good story teller and I enjoyed the parts of the book where he's discovering how to locate and prepare his own meals from their original sources.

Ironside by Holly Black

2011-08-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Ironside
Holly Black
2007, Simon and Schuster, London
9781847380630
323p.

Third in the Modern Faerie Tale series. This brings characters from the first two together into one story. Kaye is sent on a quest in order to become Roiben's consort, an impossible quest to find a faerie who can tell a lie.

I enjoyed this more than the last book - the characters are a lot more mature. And the story is interesting. I like these faeries, the darkness of the story is offset by the humanness and emotionality of the characters.

Princess by Jean P. Sasson

2011-07-24T23:48:00.000-07:00

Princess
Jean P. Sasson
1992. 1993, Bantam, London
0553405705
299p.

Biographical account of "Sultana", a Saudi Arabian princess who lives under the oppressive regime of a patriarchal society. She witnesses many offences against women whilst living in palatial opulence.

I found myself wondering if this book was truth or fiction, not in that I don't believe that this kind of thing could happen, but I guess the 'story' of how the story came about sounds fake. After googling it however, I think it must be a true story, because 20 years later, there've been no revelations about its authenticity.

I am astounded at the opulence of the Saudis' lives. And Sultana is just so casual about her wealth - it's mind-boggling. I guess it just shows that money doesn't buy freedom in all parts of the world.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

2011-07-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

Choke
Chuck Palahniuk
2002
ebook
665p.

Victor Mancini is a sexaholic, historical reenactor and ex-medical student who earns extra money to pay his mother's medical bills by 'pretending' to choke in restaurants so people will come to his rescue and feel like heroes.

This is a weird-ass book. The characters are all screwy and the sex scenes are mad! I did enjoy it very much, except I think it was trying to be a little too clever, a little too philosophical.

Misery by Stephen King

2011-07-06T00:30:00.000-07:00

Misery
Stephen King
1987
e-book
1110p.

This is the first e-book I've read all the way through, and it's also the first book that I've read all the way through in over a month. Book reading rut over! This is a classic King novel about a writer who ends up trapped in the house of a mad woman who wants him to write a novel for her.

I had increased heart rate at times while reading this book. haha. King is very good at taking the reader along for the ride. The character of Annie Wilkes is terrifying.

The Murrumbidgee Kid by Peter Yeldham

2011-06-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Murrimbidgee Kid
Peter Yeldham
2006, Penguin, Camberwell
0670029777
425p.

Teddy is a talented boy living in Gundagai whose mother wants him to be a star. When Teddy lands a role in a film, they move to Sydney to pursue his career.

This was an interesting story, but not very well written. There were a number of historical inaccuracies and I didn't enjoy the writing style. However, I did read to the end because I was interested in the characters.

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Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

2011-05-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

Pirate Latitudes
Michael Crichton
2009, HarperCollins, New York
9780732290696
312p.

Hunter is a pirate living in the English outpost Jamaica in 1665. He gets a crew together to capture a Spanish galleon and steal the treasure it carries.

This is Michael Crichton's last novel, published after his death when it was located in his files. I don't think it should have been published as it is, it reads like a rough first draft. Sure there's pirates, monsters, sex, witch-craft and cannibals, but it doesn't feel like the quality we're used to getting from Crichton. I thought I was reading Reilly at times - a good story in there, just without finesse.

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Star Trek: A Time to be Born by John Vornholt

2011-04-22T00:35:00.001-07:00

Star Trek: A Time to be Born
John Vornholt
2004, Pocket Books, New York
0743467655
284p.

The Enterprise is sent to help with the retrieval mission at the Rashanar Battle site where derelict ships float around a gravity sink. They destroy a dangerous mimic vessel setting off a chain of events which threatens Captain Picard's future in Starfleet.

I read it but didn't enjoy it. The writing is poor and the storyline is mediocre. A few of the ideas are interesting but mostly it felt like covered territory. And what is with Trek authors doing terrible metaphors??!! There were some doozies in this one.

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I am Spock by Leonard Nimoy

2011-03-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

I am Spock
Leonard Nimoy
1995, 1996, Arrow Books, London
0099647419
347p.

Auto-biography written by Leonard Nimoy who played Spock in the original series of Star Trek, as well as a number of motion pictures. This is written after the Star Trek: Generations movie.

Leonard Nimoy is a talented writer. And the stories he tell in this are very interesting, there's not too much boring stuff in there as some auto-biographies have. I like the way he talks to Spock throughout the book.

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The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

2011-03-08T01:47:00.000-08:00

The Tipping Point
Malcolm Gladwell
2000, Abacus, London
0349113467
259p.

A look at the sociology and psychology behind the reasons certain fads and other social phenomena become very popular.

This wasn't blow-your-mind amazing, but I enjoyed it. It is very well researched and written in an accessible language. It's quite good for pop-sociology.

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Awakenings by Oliver Sacks

2011-03-01T22:10:00.000-08:00

Awakenings
Oliver Sacks
1973, 1990, Pan Macmillan, London
0330320912
386p.

Oliver Sacks is a doctor who treated a group of patients with post-encephalitic Parkinsonism following the sleepy sickness epidemic of the 1920s. The patients were treated with the drug L-DOPA and gained remarkable results in which they "awoke" after being nearly motionless and statue-like for half a decade.

This is a terrifying book - I'm surprised I didn't have nightmares. The human body can give so much grief, and the drugs we give to counteract it are just as bad. I liked that Sacks did not gloss over what he did; if the patients had horror reactions to his treatment (and all did), he gave the full details. I must admit some of his philosophical musings at the end of the book were a little over my head and if I gave this book to someone to read I would show them the glossary in the back before they start!

Mage Heart by Jane Routley

2011-02-19T18:52:00.000-08:00

Mage Heart
Jane Routley
1996, Avon Books, New York
0380781271
470p.

Dion is a young female mage in a world where magic is dominated by males. After her foster father dies, she becomes the magical protector of the Duke's favourite mistress.

I spent about a month reading this book, which is a very long time for me to spend on one book and yet I did enjoy it quite a bit. It had a simple writing style (almost for teenagers) and the story was interesting with good solid plot twists. I liked how the character of Dion was so unsure of herself all the time and felt no qualms with talking about her fears and naiveties.

Link to journal at bookcroosing

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

2011-01-25T22:06:00.000-08:00

The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Milan Kundera
1984, 1999, Faber and Faber, London
0571200834
311p.

This is a story about loves and infidelities; about the relationships between people and the differences in them that define their relationships.

It is very hard to describe this book; I wouldn't say that I loved it but I did like it. It made me laugh out loud sometimes and sad at others. The philosophy got a bit strange but the characters were well-drawn.

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The Ten O'Clock Horses by Laurie Graham

2011-01-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

The Ten O'Clock Horses
Laurie Graham
1996, Black Swan, London
0552996564
256p.

Ronnie Glover is a painter and decorator living in 1960s England and is dissatisfied with his place in life. He begins an affair with a rich married dance teacher.

When I first started reading this, I couldn't get into the writing style. But I stuck with it and when I started to get the voice of the novel I really really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. The characters are well drawn, and the dialogue is incredibly realistic. The reader can feel the emotions of the characters on a deep level.

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The Sooterkin by Tom Gilling

2011-01-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

The Sooterkin
Tom Gilling
1999, Text Publishing, La Trobe
1876485027
212p.

Set in convict-era Tasmania, a woman gives birth to a strange creature which resembles a seal pup.

I found this to be better than what I was expecting. It's a great little story and I loved the characters. The writing style is just a little bit different but very easy to read. I really enjoyed it.

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The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

2010-12-23T00:11:00.000-08:00

The World Without Us
Alan Weisman
2007, Virgin, London
978075351239
275p.

A look at what would happen to the earth if all human life disappeared at once.

I found this to be a very interesting book. The author predicts what would happen in the future by taking a look at what happened in the past, so you get some history as well as science. I like information and this book sure had a lot of it. I learned many new things. :)

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Alien3 by Alan Dean Foster

2010-11-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

Alien3
Alan Dean Foster
1992, 1993, Warner Books, New York
0751506672
186p.

Novelisation of the third Alien movie in which Ripley crash lands on a prison planet and discovers a xenomorph has also come along.

This is not a bad story, I really enjoyed the movie and the novel is very similar. However, at times it read like there was more than one author - it could have done with a bit more editing.

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The Gift by Roger Dunn

2010-11-08T22:37:00.000-08:00

The Gift
Roger Dunn
1988, McPhee Gribble Publishers, Fitzroy
0140110631
136p.

Little novel based on an Australian children's mini-series in which two children win 1000 acres of bushland in Western Australia.

It was an enjoyable story - the characters were well fleshed out and it had good morals. I like that it was set in a recognisable Australia.

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The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

2010-11-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Sirens of Titan
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
1959, 1979, Dell Publishing, New York
0440179483
319p.

A man and his dog are caught up in a chrono-synclastic-infudibula halfway between Earth and Mars and are scattered throughout the Solar System, appearing and disappearing on different planets at regular intervals. To explain any more would complicate things and this novel is a journey for the reader so I wont bother!

I really really really enjoyed this. Vonnegut has a seriously wicked sense of humour. And there was so much going on within the story. I wish they wrote science fiction like this again.

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The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman

2010-10-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

The Ice Queen
Alice Hoffman
2005, 2006, Vintage, London
978099488835
211p.

A girl makes a wish one night which comes true and ruins her life. She then grows up and makes another wish which changes her forever.

I enjoyed this up to a point. I liked the storyline and the characters, however, the writing style annoyed me because it was pretentious. Readers are supposed to make up their own minds about the deeper meaning behind a story, we don't need it spelled out to us.

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The Simulacra by Philip K. Dick

2010-10-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

The Simulacra
Philip K. Dick
1964, Ace Books. New York
no isbn
192p.

A novel of the future about a government system headed by a beautiful First Lady and her simulation husband.

This little novel was multi-layered - there were many different aspects that I really enjoyed. And the science behind it all has not dated, even 40 years later.

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The Book Boy by Joanna Trollope

2010-10-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

The Book Boy
Joanna Trollope
2006, Bloomsbury Publishing, London
0747582114
94p.

Quick read about Alice, a housewife who cannot read and the teenage rebel who guessed her secret.

This was a very simple book with simple language, and I didn't really find the characters all that believable - they were two-dimensional.

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Star Trek: New Frontier: Missing in Action by Peter David

2010-10-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Star Trek: New Frontier: Missing in Action
Peter David
2006, Pocket Books, New York
978141651080X
341p.

The USS Excalibur encounters a large and powerful ship while attempting to keep peace in the New Thallonian region. They find themselves transported to another universe where two warring races threaten to destroy each other.

I am unfamiliar with most of these characters and backstories; it was explained a little bit in the book but it seemed forced. It had traces of the David humour I'm used to, but none of the sparkle. Overall, I was disappointed.

The Circles by Kerry Armstrong

2010-09-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Circles
Kerry Armstrong
2003, Hardie Grant Books, South Yarra
1740661257
93p.

A little self-help book written by Australian actress Kerry Armstrong which deals with our relationships with other people and how to categorise those relationships in order to better understand ourselves.

I was a bit skeptical when I started to read this book as I always am with self-help, but I found it to be interesting and it did have a few little bits of advice which were helpful. I've never really had major issues with relationships but I'm sure that someone who does have would enjoy this little book's advice.

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Bachelor Brothers Bed and Breakfast Pillow Book by Bill Richardson

2010-09-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Bachelor Brothers Bed and Breakfast Pillow Book
Bill Richardson
1998, St. Martins' Griffin
0312194404
208 p.

Sequel to the book Bachelor Brothers Bed and Breakfast in which two brothers run a bed and breakfast for bibliophiles. This book is a collection of recipes, gossip and stories of their lives.

Not as good as the original but still I had an enjoyable time with the brothers and their crazy townspeople.

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The Stars' Tennis Balls by Stephen Fry

2010-08-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

The Stars' Tennis Balls
Stephen Fry
2001, Arrow Books, London
0099727412
484p.

Ned Maddstone is the son of a politician with the world at his feet. He goes to a great school, is captain of the cricket team and has a wonderful girlfriend. Then he is kidnapped by a group of men and his world is turned upside-down.

I really, really enjoyed this black comedy. Fry is a very good writer - I love his way with words; he uses big words without sounding pretentious (unless that is exactly what he wants to sound like!). And the uber-violence is a nice distraction for when you're at work. lol.

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Things You Get For Free by Michael McGirr

2010-08-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

Things You Get For Free
Michael McGirr
2000, 2001, Picador, Sydney
0330362275
296p.

Part biography, part travel, part history, Things You Get for Free tells the story of a Jesuit priest and his European holiday with his mother.

I enjoyed this book - McGirr manages to be cynical without being snarky or sarcastic. Reading it was like being told a story while cuddled up in a doona in front of an open fire.

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The Next Queen of Heaven by Gregory Maguire

2010-08-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

The Next Queen of Heaven
Gregory Maguire
2009, Concord Free Press, Concord
9780981782423
296p.

This is a novel published by Concord Free Press who publish books for free consumption on the proviso that the reader makes a donation to a charity of their choice.

Set in Thebes, New York, The Next Queen of Heaven tells the story of a family of misfits, a group of retired nuns and a gay singing group. Their lives entwine in small town life.

This book made me laugh out loud on a number of occasions. Maguire has a way with words. And I enjoyed the story too - it wasn't the tightest telling, but the loose narrative style suited the story.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss

2010-07-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

Eats, Shoots and Leaves
Lynne Truss
2003, 2004, Gotham, New York
1592400876
204p.

This is a book about punctuation. Not exactly a style guide, though it does inform the reader of the main conventions of punctuation, it's more of a educated rant from a literate stickler.

I really loved this: it's proof that I'm not the worst grammar or punctuation Nazi around. It also taught me a thing or two I didn't know about the correct use of punctuation, which is fantastic! Now I just have to remember it all and not slip back into old ways.

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Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell

2010-07-08T17:39:00.001-07:00

Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
Chris Riddell
2007, 2008, HarperCollins, New York
9780061448812
171p.

Ottoline is a little girl living with a Norwegian swamp creature in a house full of her parent's strange collections. When a series of robberies and dog disappearances disrupt her neighbourhood, Ottoline decides to investigate.

This is such a clever, cheeky little book. The illustrations are gorgeous and I liked how they were multi-layered. It's a good story too.

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For Rouenna by Sigrid Nunez

2010-07-06T01:56:00.000-07:00

For Rouenna
Sigrid Nunez
2001, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York
0374254303
230p.

A writer living in New York starts a friendship with a woman, Rouenna, who wrote to her after reading her novel. Rouenna was a nurse in the Vietnam conflict and tells of her experiences.

I enjoyed this. It was disjointed and odd, but I like it like that. The characters were all brought to life gradually and the stories of the conflict and of life in the Project were heartbreaking.

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Fire Dancer by Victor Kelleher

2010-06-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Fire Dancer
Victor Kelleher
1996, Penguin, Ringwood
0670871117
307p.

Josie and Ivan are two adolescents from the near future who are on a time travel holiday when they become stranded in the past. They must learn to survive in the wilderness with a tribe of Neanderthals.

This was a very interesting premise and I like Kelleher's exploration of time travel theory and the nature of time. However, at times, it felt a little too much like it was trying to be educational from a historical viewpoint ... it seemed to read like a documentary about Neanderthals and their life.

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The Island of the Colour-Blind by Oliver Sacks

2010-06-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Island of the Colour-Blind
Oliver Sacks
1996, Pan Macmillan, Sydney
0330358871
226p.

This is two books in one - the first is about Sacks' journey to a small Pacific island where a high percentage of the population is totally colour blind; the second is about Guam where a neurological disease causes muscular weakness.

I expected this to be more about the neurology and science of the diseases, but it read more like a travel diary which just happened to centre around a neurologist's study travels. It was interesting to read about these places and conditions which I'd never heard about before but I would have liked a little bit more in-depth.

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Doctor Who and the Zarbi by Bill Strutton

2010-06-05T01:44:00.000-07:00

Doctor Who and the Zarbi
Bill Strutton
1965, 1984, Target, London
0426113241
174p.

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki are drawn to a planet with strange bug-like creatures who appear to be under the control of an outside force. The TARDIS cannot leave the planet until the team uncover the mystery of the planet.

This is a novelisation of one of my favourite classic episodes of Doctor Who. In the TV show I love how the Zarbi keep bumping into the cameras, and the rather effeminate voices of the Menoptera. I enjoyed the read, though it seemed to take forever to get through.

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Rozen Maiden Volume 1 by Peach Pit

2010-05-17T03:10:00.002-07:00

Rozen Maiden Volume 1
Peach Pit
2003, 2006, Tokyopop, Los Angeles
1598163124
unnumbered

Jun is a recluse who likes to order junk from the internet and return it before the grace period expires. When he orders a strange doll, he discovers that he cannot return her and is taken on a strange journey.

This is pretty cool manga. I was expecting it to be a bit childish as it's rated T13+, but I thought the style was quite mature and it touches on some not-so-angsty teen issues. Except now I'm going to have to find Volume 2.

The Spare Room by Helen Garner

2010-05-13T06:19:00.000-07:00

The Spare Room
Helen Garner
2008, Swann House, Melbourne
9781847672674
195p.

Helen offers her spare room to her friend who is undergoing treatment for cancer. The battle is very difficult on both of them and the relationship is strained.

I don't think this is a true story, but the way it is written, it could very well be ... the author and narrator share a first name and the narrator is a writer living in Melbourne. It's a good little book in that it deals with a very sensitive topic without sugar-coating it or turning it into some sweet saccharin tale of a friendship forged through tough times. Very honest voice.

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Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison

2010-04-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

Make Room! Make Room!
Harry Harrison
1966, 1973, Doubleday, New York
0425040437
224p.

This is the book the movie Soylent Green is based on. It is the tale of an over-populated world at the turn of the millennium.

I thought this was brilliant. I adored the movie Soylent Green, and when I heard that the main premise of the movie didn't come from the book (y'all know what I'm talking about), I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy the book. But I did! The writing style is beautiful for a little science fiction novel, and there is so much humanity in this book. I'm just glad it wasn't prophetic.

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Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

2010-04-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Brighton Rock
Graham Greene
1938, 1985, Penguin, Middlesex
0140004424
247p.

Story of Pinkie - a gang member in pre-WWII England - who murders a gambler who owed him money and the repercussions of that event.

I couldn't say I enjoyed the book - it was bleak and difficult to read at times - but I felt I couldn't stop reading, it sucked me in completely. It's an uncomfortable read. I did however learn a lot of 1930s British mobster lingo!

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The Essence of Happiness: A Guidebook for Living by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

2010-04-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Essence of Happiness: A Guidebook for Living
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler
2001, Hodder, Sydney
0733613799
120p.

Psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler talks to the Dalai Lama to find out his thoughts on how we can lived a more happy and fulfilled life. This is an extract from the more complete work The Art of Happiness.

A little book with some good advice - some of it practical, some of it not so much. I will endeavour to be more compassionate towards others now. :)

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Doctor Who: The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Christopher Bulis

2010-04-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

Doctor Who: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Christopher Bulis
1995, Virgin, London
0426204476
296p.

The First Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara land on a planet with dragons, faeries, elves and leprechauns. The TARDIS locks them out so in order to get off the planet they must solve the mystery of the magic.

This was an enjoyable Dr. Who novel - I really like the first doctor. The mystery was intriguing as was the way the fusion of fantasy and science fiction was accomplished.

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The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank

2010-04-01T00:57:00.000-07:00

The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Melissa Bank
1999, 2000, Viking, London
0140278826
274p.

This is a book about Jane and her life, the men she meets and her experiences growing up.

Another surprisingly good book for me. Normally I don't read chick lit and enjoy it at all, but this book was subtle and interesting. I didn't find Jane to be amusing however, which is contrary to all the reviews - I found her humour to be that of a 14 year old school-girl. Despite that, I did like Jane and her exploits. It makes a nice change to read something a bit light.

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Time Piper by Delia Huddy

2010-03-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Time Piper
Delia Huddy
1979, 1984, Tempo, New York
0441812058
210p.

Luke goes to work for a physics professor in London who is conducting an experiment to create a window into the past.

I was expecting this to be a fantasy story due to the cover, but it was a nifty little sci-fi. The premise was interesting, though very predictable and I thought that the characters were three-dimensional and their motivations were well described.

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Time Trap by Keith Laumer

2010-03-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Time Trap
Keith Laumer
1070, 1987, Baen Publishing, New York
0671653407
156p.

Strange things begin occurring around the world - a Portuguese galleon from the 16th Century is picked up by the Coast Guard, Abraham Lincoln walks into an Arabian town, and Roger Tyson meets an alien. Which then sets him off on an adventure through time and space.

This is a silly little science fiction story, but I enjoyed it. And the ending was quite satisfactory, which was a nice surprise.

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On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

2010-03-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

On Chesil Beach
Ian McEwan
2007, Johnathon Cape, London
9780224081184
166p.

Short novella about the wedding night of a couple in the 1950s - about their fears and the cultural restrictions of the time.

This book really resonated with me. McEwan has an incredible way of getting into the minds of his characters and voicing their thoughts and feelings. His writing is descriptive and beautiful. I devoured this book.

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The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson

2010-03-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

The Men Who Stare at Goats
Jon Ronson
2004, Picador, London
0330435264
273p.

This book makes the claim that highly placed members of the US military believed that they could kill goats by looking at them and that they could walk through walls. They created a unit called the First Earth Battalion in the 1970s which was brought back during the War on Terror.

When I started reading this book I was totally incredulous. I kept thinking "no way, this is all made up", but then the author related it to something commonly accepted as fact and I was like "well, maybe". It's an incredibly disturbing tale. And quite scary in places, if not downright terrifying to think that things like this could have happened.

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Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

2010-03-08T04:07:00.000-08:00

Brother Odd
Dean Koontz
2006, 2007, HarperCollinsPublishers, London
9780007226580
439p.

Odd Thomas can see dead people and strange creatures which feed on death he calls bodachs. After his girlfriend is killed in a mall shooting, he finds his way to a monastery where he hopes for some peaceful reflection. But of course, he doesn't get it - bodachs begin swarming around the monastery and Odd must find out what they are after before too much blood is shed.

An ok story, but not great writing style. I never felt comfortable in the narrative - it was like the narrator wasn't sure which voice to use, and the story jumped around far too much. Odd should be a fascinating character, but it just doesn't come through which is a shame. The best part of the book was the tete-a-tete between Odd and Romanovich.

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Star Trek: Voyager: Equinox by Diane Carey

2010-02-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

Star Trek: Voyager: Equinox
Diane Carey
1999, Pocket Books, New York
0671042955
254p.

Voyager receives a distress signal from another Starfleet vessel. When they investigate, they discover the Equinox, a science ship which was also transported to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker and whose crew have been using different means to make their way home.

It's a shame that such an excellent story was spoiled by awful writing. I've never liked Diane Carey and she doesn't fail to disappoint in this novel. This book is supposed to be set in the Voyager universe, but reads more like The Original Series with good old-fashioned sexism and a bit of casual racism to boot.

The writing style is also atrocious. Here is an example of a bad sentence from page 121: 'Sniggering doubts entered her star system.' It's about Janeway arguing a point with Chakotay, but even in context it makes little sense. And there are editing errors which aren't the fault of the author but I see whoever read my copy has fixed some of them!

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The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

2010-02-22T22:03:00.000-08:00

The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
1902, 2006, Headline, London
9780755340125
209p.

When a wealthy land owner is found dead of a heart attack, his heir suspects the death is part of a family curse - a supernatural dog. He hires Sherlock Holmes to investigate the death and to find the truth about the hound which has haunted his family for generations.

My first Sherlock Holmes and I quite enjoyed it. It has a rather modern writing style and the detective techniques are readily identifiable within a context of modern police stories. And the mystery kept me guessing.

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Hover Car Racer by Matthew Reilly

2010-02-13T02:22:00.000-08:00

Hover Car Racer
Matthew Reilly
2004, Pan Macmillan, Sydney
1405036214
428p.

Set in the not-too-distant future, a young hover car racer named Jason Chaser has the opportunity to study racing at the prestigious International Racing School and from there could move on to professional racing.

This was a pretty nifty story. Reilly for young people. I liked that it had little moral-of-the-story and life lessons in it. Plus some killer action and sports! I can't believe I actually enjoyed reading a novel which is basically a sports novel. Ticked all the boxes on this one Mr. Reilly.

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

2010-02-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

Dolores Claiborne
Stephen King
1992, 1993, Hodder and Stoughton, London
0450588866
307p.

A sixty-five year old woman from Long Tall Island walks into the police station and states that she killed her husband thirty years ago. She then goes on to tell her tale in her own way.

This was an interesting book in the way it was written and how it all came together. Not exactly horror, but thrilling nonetheless. The characters were incredibly well fleshed out and I feel like I know them.

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Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

2010-02-05T23:16:00.000-08:00

Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
1996, Anchor Books, New York
0385486804
203p.

True story of a young American man who gave up his possessions and money to hitch-hike to Alaska to spend time alone in the wilderness. His decomposed remains were found in an abandoned bus four months later.

I had seen the movie based on McCandless' life a little while ago, so it was interesting to read the book. It's a heart-breaking story - some may call McCandless naive and selfish, but that shouldn't take away from the tragedy. Nor should it deny the legitimacy of the beauty that he discovered.

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The 5 Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly

2010-02-03T02:15:00.000-08:00

The 5 Greatest Warriors
Matthew Reilly
2010, Simon & Schuster, New York
9781416577577
374p.

Continuation of the story The Six Sacred Stones in which Jack West Jr. and his team fight to save the earth from destruction by using an ancient machine with parts scattered all over the world.

Everything that's great about Matthew Reilly is in this book. Action every step of the way - continually bigger and more hair-raising than what came before. Of course, I'm now suffering from adjective-overload, but that's a small price to pay for such a great ride.

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The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michalel Chabon

2010-01-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Michael Chabon
2000, Picador, New York
0312282990
636p.

When Sammy Clay's cousin arrives from Prague during WWII they embark on a comic book writing partnership creating the superhero The Escapist.

I kept expecting something incredible (or indeed amazing) with this book but it never happened. I found it to be a bit bland and lifeless which was very disappointing. I get that it's a big, expansive American novel, yet, at the end of reading it, I don't feel illuminated, or even like I've been on a journey.

Some of the vignettes were beautiful - like the scenes of Joe's relationship with his escape-artist mentor - but they were lost in the quagmire of the rest.

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A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable by John Steele Gordon

2010-01-11T02:50:00.000-08:00

A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable
John Steele Gordon
2002, Simon & Schuster, London
0743231279
215p.

The story of the concept, manufacture and laying of the Transatlantic Cable in the nineteenth century.

Wow. An amazing story. It has geography, electrical theory, economics, history, maritime history, war and science. I can't fathom how this was conceived and executed with the technology they had at the time. So many setbacks, and still they strove on. This truly is a heroic story.

Never Say Die by Tess Gerritsen

2010-01-07T19:37:00.001-08:00

Never Say Die
Tess Gerritsen
1992, 2006, Mira, Chatswood
1741161329
207p.

Willy Maitland travels to Vietnam to search for her father who was shot down during the war. But someone wants to stop her from discovering the truth about what happened.

I was very disappointed with this. The story and characters are clichéd and uninspiring. And the writing style is amateurish. I realise this was early in Gerritsen's career and it just shows how far she's come.

Antarctica on a Plate by Alexa Thomson

2010-01-05T14:41:00.000-08:00

Antarctica on a Plate
Alexa Thomson
2003, Random House, Milsons Point
1740512073
385p.

Alexa decides to give up her city-based web-design career to fly to Antarctica and be the cook for a small base.

This was an interesting memoir, however, I was expecting to be wowed by the majesty of Antarctica, but that didn't come through.

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The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2010-01-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

The Dead and the Gone
Susan Beth Pfeffer
2008, Marion Lloyd, London
9780152063115
308p.

Alex is a Puerto Rican teen living in New York City when as asteroid hits the moon pushing it out of its orbit and closer to the earth which has devastating consequences. After Alex's parents go missing in the initial disaster, he must care for himself and his two sisters to ensure their survival.

I didn't think this was as good as the first book. It seemed a bit contrived - like the first book was such as success so the author tried to duplicate it. It was still a good read, but it lacked the magic (and utter heartbreak) of the first book.

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Life as we Knew it by Susan Pfeffer

2009-12-31T22:52:00.000-08:00

Life as we Knew it
Susan Pfeffer
2006, 2007, Marion Lloyd, London
0439944333
337p.

An asteroid hits the moon, pushing it out of orbit and closer to Earth. The following devastation is chronicled by a teenager in her diary.

Totally absorbing read - I often woke up, and in that still half-asleep phase, thought that the events in this book were real and wondering what I should be doing that day from a survival aspect. I was sad that the book ended, but I have the sequel to read now. It did take a while to get into the book - to get used to the voice of the teen (which is extremely well done) - but once it got going, I was hooked.

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Big Trouble by Dave Barry

2009-12-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

Big Trouble
Dave Barry
1999, 2000, Judy Piatkus, London
0749933054
245p.

Plot: ok, um ... set in Miami ... there's Russians and weapons, an advertising executive, small time crooks, professional hit-men and a toad. It's just fun going along for the ride so I won't give too much away.

My favourite character was Roger the dog - this was a very funny book. I got part way through it before realising I hadn't actually seen the movie which I was sure I had. Now I want to, of course. I liked all the little insights into Miami culture (especially being a fan of the Dexter books). If I had to use one word to describe it, that word would be 'zany'. It's just zany ... but in a good way.

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Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White

2009-12-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083
Andrea White
2005, HarperCollins, New York
0060554568
428p.

A group of five teenagers are chosen to compete in a television show which retraces the failed Antarctic journey of Scott and his men in 1912.

This was a good teen book - a compelling read. There were a few loose ends and things that didn't quite make sense, but overall I thought it sound. The premise was interesting and I liked how it tied in with Scott's 1912 voyage.

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Doctor Who: The Eyeless by Lance Parkin

2009-12-26T01:43:00.000-08:00

Doctor Who: The Eyeless
Lance Parkin
2008, BBC Books, UK
9781846075628
248p.

The Doctor travels to a planet whose population was destroyed by a terrible weapon from another war. He wants to dismantle the weapon, but when he gets there he finds that there are survivors and other beings who want the weapon for themselves.

Not sure I like The Doctor being alone - he be moody. This is a fairly dark book, but a ripper story. The author obviously has a mathematics obsession!

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Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein

2009-12-24T03:35:00.000-08:00

Double Star
Robert A. Heinlein
1956, 1986, Ballantine, New York
0345330137
243p.

Out-of-work actor Lorenzo meets a space pilot in a bar and is offered a mysterious job which sees him packed off to Mars in the role of a lifetime.

I enjoyed this but it doesn't really feel like I read the book. I know that sounds odd, maybe it's just because it's such a light book with a sort of skimming writing style. It's mainly about politics, I would have liked a little more science fiction in it.

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Red Sky in Mourning by Tami Oldham Ashcraft with Susea McGearhart

2009-12-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

Red Sky in Mourning
Tami Oldham Ashcraft with Susea McGearhart
2002, 2003, Simon & Schuster, London
0743415892
223p.

True story of a woman who survived being hit by a hurricane at sea while her partner was thrown overboard. She spent forty-one days at sea alone.

An amazing story of survival and very well told. Tami was a brave lady - she did what she needed to do to survive despite feeling like giving up many times.

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The Tale of Beatrix Potter by Margaret Lane

2009-12-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Tale of Beatrix Potter
Margaret Lane
1946, 1978, William Clowes & Sons, London
no isbn
165p.

This is the biography of Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter.

Beatrix Potter lead an amazingly ordinary life. I really enjoyed reading about it, even though it was dull. Sometimes the dullest lives are the most interesting, especially when they are of a genius. I also enjoyed reading a little of British domestic history which was a part of this story.

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Aliens by Alan Dean Foster

2009-12-16T15:44:00.000-08:00

Aliens in The Complete Alien Omnibus
Alan Dean Foster
1986, Warner Books, London
0751506672
241p.

Book based on the sequel to the science fiction classic Alien, Aliens. Ellen Ripley returns to Earth after spending over fifty years in hypersleep and then must journey back to the planet where she encountered the alien to again face her nightmare.

Like the first book, this one had more detail than the movie (which I watched not long ago). I think maybe some of the stuff that was on the original screenplay but ended up on the cutting room floor is in the book. It's no great work of literature, just a bit of action-fun-dumbness.

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Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live by Jay Mohr

2009-12-11T23:48:00.000-08:00

Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live
Jay Mohr
2004, Hyperion, New York
1401308015
293p.

Jay Mohr is a comedian who wrote and performed for Saturday Night Live for two years in the 1990s. This is the story of his time at the show.

This was a very easy book to read, the writing just flowed and shone with honesty. It was fascinating to read about how dysfunctional that work environment is and how Jay coped despite it all. I have never seen Saturday Night Live of course, but I enjoyed the read very much - it made me laugh out loud.

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Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson

2009-12-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

Murder on Marble Row
Victoria Thompson
2004, 2005, Berkley Prime Crime, New York
04251988707
310p.

A period mystery set in 18th century New York City. A wealthy businessman is murdered by a bomb and Detective Inspector Malloy suspects anarchists are involved.

Clunky writing style and very predictable until the final twist. I also couldn't stand the character of Malloy - he's not very nice at all. However, it was interesting to read about New York City in that era.

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Booked to Die by John Dunning

2009-12-07T00:32:00.000-08:00

Booked to Die
John Dunning
1992, 2001, Pocket Books, New York
0743410653
398p.

Cliff Janeway, homicide detective and booklover, is investigating the death of a bookscout called Bobby. He becomes entangled in the world of rare and collectible book stores trying to find the killer.

Literary crime. Fantastic. I loved reading about the world of the rare and collectable book seller. Janeway is a cool detective, and the constant references to other books was super.

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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

2009-12-03T23:20:00.000-08:00

The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy
1997, Flamingo, London
0006550681
340p.

The story of an Indian family set in the 1960s.

It's very hard to describe the plot of this book without losing something, so I won't bother. The writing is beautiful. And the story is intricately woven. I loved how we're never given the entirety of anything, we have to be patient and read on - the plot doubles back on itself and jumps forwards and backwards with such ease.

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Chrysalis by Libby Hathorn

2009-11-24T03:10:00.000-08:00

Chrysalis
Libby Hathorn
1997, 2001, Hodder Headline, Sydney
0733611508
204p.

Set in small town rural Australia, Lara is in her final year of high school, and trying to befriend a new girl who is shy. She also has to deal with family issues and boyfriend issues.

Not too bad for an angsty teen book. I wish it wasn't assumed that because a person is shy that means there is something wrong with them, and that they need to be 'brought out'. But other than that, it had some interesting issues (for teenagers) and deals with them in a realistic way.

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Dreamtime Alice by Mandy Sayer

2009-11-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

Dreamtime Alice
Mandy Sayer
1998, Random House, Milsons Point
0091836212
368p.

Autobiography of an Australian tap-dancer who performed on the streets of New York and New Orleans with her drummer father in the 1980s.

This was an interesting tale of growing up amidst the unique characters of street performers and the underworld. At times, I found Mandy/Alice to be unbelievably naive and obsessed with boys, which made me want to give up reading, but I'm glad I stuck with it because some of the characters we meet are fabulous.

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Doctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons

2009-11-16T05:01:00.000-08:00

Doctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams
Steve Lyons
2005, BBC Books, London
0563486384
254p.

The Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack Harkness land on a planet which has been colonised by humans. There they find that society has not advanced as much as it should have, and that fiction is outlawed.

I enjoyed this one. The explanation of the ending was a bit abrupt and we didn't see enough of the Doctor or Captain Jack, but the premise was interesting. Plus lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

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The Humans of Ziax II/The Drought on Ziax II by John Morressy

2009-11-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

The Humans of Ziax II/The Drought on Ziax II
John Morressy
1974, 1978, Scholastic, New York
0590303821
49p. + 55p.

A volume of two children's science fiction stories from the seventies. Toren is a boy who was born in space after his parents left Earth following an unnamed disaster (possibly over-pollution). The humans resettle on a planet they call Ziax II which is inhabited by peaceful golden-furred aliens, and not so peaceful giant cockroach monsters and killer grass.

These stories have a simple message which is very relevant today. Quit messing with the eco-system and killing is not the solution to fear. The messages are not hidden in the subtext either. The stories themselves are exciting, if a bit short (entire sequences are left out and explained after the fact).

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Divorcing Jack by Colin Bateman

2009-11-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

Divorcing Jack
Colin Bateman
1995, HarperCollinsPublishers, London
0006479030
282p.

Dan Starkey is a journalist who commences an affair with a young woman he meets at a bar. When she ends up dead, Starkey is suspected of the murder and finds himself on the run from the good guys as well as some very bad guys to boot.

This book gave some interesting background on Northern Ireland history which I didn't know much about. I think the story was good, but it suffered from inconsistency. Parts of the book were humorous, but it wasn't maintained throughout. Other parts were poignant, but not very often. And the suspense was a bit flat at times. It wasn't a bad book - I enjoyed it - it just wasn't super-great.

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The Coins of Murph by Leo P. Kelley

2009-11-08T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Coins of Murph
Leo P. Kelley
1971, 1974, Coronet, London
0340186178
191p.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future where people's fates are left to be decided by the toss of a coin. Lank, a true-believer in the system, meets Doll, who makes her own decisions without tossing a coin, and they each look for answers about the past and the present.

I'm not sure I enjoyed the read, but it did keep me reading. It was a very sombre and quietly threatening book. A very solid addition to the post-apocalyptic genre and the characters were three-dimensional which is not always the case in pulpy sci-fi.

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The Wooden Sea by Jonathan Carroll

2009-11-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

The Wooden Sea
Jonathan Carroll
2001, Tor, New York
0765300133
302p.

A police chief in the small town of Crane's View, New York takes in an old three-legged, one-eyed dog named Old Vertue. When the dog drops dead, the police chief's world goes nuts.

This is one of those books where if you try to describe the plot too much, you ruin the book for someone else. So I'll just say that it's fantastic. The characters are fantastic, the situations are fantastic, the plot is fantastic. I loved it.

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The Distant Echo by Val McDermid

2009-11-05T00:55:00.000-08:00

The Distant Echo
Val McDermid
2003, HarperCollinsPublishers, London
0007142846
561p.

A group of four university students coming home drunk from a party stumble across a dying girl lying in the snow. They become suspects in her rape and murder and live with the shadow of suspicion for the next twenty-five years. When the case is reopened due to new forensic testing techniques, two of them are murdered in separate incidents. The remaining two fear that someone has decided to take justice into their own hands.

This is a bit of a slow burn thriller and written really well. Sometimes it didn't come across as completely convincing which was a bit of a disappointment. But I liked how we became a part of the characters lives and the sting in the tail is rather cool.

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Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews

2009-10-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

Murder with Puffins
Donna Andrews
2000, 2001, St Martin's Press, New York
0312978863
290p.

Freelance metal-worker (I think) Meg Langslow decides to have a quiet weekend in her aunt's summer house on Monhegan Island with her boyfriend Michael. However, when they arrive, her entire family is there, and when a local misanthropic artist turns up dead, Meg puts her amateur sleuthing skills to use.

This was an unusual cosy mystery in that the amateur sleuth is on holidays! Usually their day-job comes into the story somehow, but I'm not even certain I know what Meg does for a living (something to do with metal-work I think). Anyway, it was a good cosy mystery. A little convoluted at times with 'cliff-hangers' at the end of every chapter, which got a bit annoying. But other that that I did enjoy the read very much. Didn't really care whodunnit, I just enjoyed reading about the whacky characters.

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Mouthing the Words by Camilla Gibb

2009-10-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

Mouthing the Words
Camilla Gibb
1999, 2002, Vintage, London
0099286580
238p.

This is the story of Thelma growing up. She has a disturbing childhood and becomes anorexic and borderline with multiple personalities.

A very quick read and an interesting book. I found that the characters and situations felt very real. The ending was very abrupt but then so is growing up!

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Dead Babies by Martin Amis

2009-10-26T00:37:00.000-07:00

Dead Babies
Martin Amis
1975, 1988, Penguin, London
0140070028
224p.

A group of young English people living together in a house invite some American friends of theirs for a weekend of drugs, drink and sex.

I would never recommend this book to anyone. That said, I did enjoy it. All the characters are vile things, and the situations so far removed from any reality I've ever encountered. (If life was really like that in the 1970s, how did anyone survive it?) It did take a while for me to warm up to the book, then I just sped through the final chapters, eager to see what was going to happen. And I had to store this book upside down whenever I was reading it in public because the front cover is covered in drugs! What kept me reading in the early stages was the writing style. Amis has a way of drawing the reader in ... it's very intimate.

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Tales of Long Ago retold by Enid Blyton

2009-10-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Tales of Long Ago
Enid Blyton
1965, Dean & Son, London
0603032613
184p.

Tales from Greek mythology and from the Arabian nights retold by children's author Enid Blyton.

I enjoyed reading these very much. I must say my Greek mythology knowledge is very poorly lacking, so to read the stories as written by Enid Blyton is a great introduction to some of the myths I have only ever heard about in passing. This book is a little un-PC and somewhat dated, but that's just how Blyton is.

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To Cut a Long Story Short by Jeffrey Archer

2009-10-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

To Cut a Long Story Short
Jeffrey Archer
2000, HarperCollinsPublishers, London
0002261642
272p.

Short stories written by Jeffrey Archer. Most of these are based on actual true life events and follow themes such as betrayal, love and discontent.

I found this to be an interesting collection, especially the real life stories. My favourite story would be 'The Endgame' in which a wealthy widower pretends to be destitute in order to discover how he should split up his fortune.

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by John Godey

2009-10-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
John Godey
1973, 1975, Hodder & Stoughton, Hornby
0340187727
287p.

Book upon which the movie, and the movie, and the movie, is based. A group of four armed men hijack a New York City subway train demanding one million dollars for the release of hostages.

I enjoyed both versions of the movie I have seen (the Walter Matthau and Vincent D'onofrio versions), and now I have really enjoyed the book as well. The book does a great job of describing the culture and attitudes of 1970s New York City. It's very dated, but that's to be expected.

The Seeds of Time by John Wyndham

2009-10-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

The Seeds of Time
John Wyndham
1956, 1969, Penguin, Middlesex
0140013857
222p.

A collection of science fiction short stories from John Wyndham written in the 1950s. They are stories of the future concerning space travel and the future of humanity.

These stories had some strong and interesting themes. Wyndham has a very smooth writing style.

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Love You to Bits and Pieces by Gillian Helfgott

2009-10-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

Love You to Bits and Pieces
Gillian Helfgott
1996, Penguin, Sydney
0140265465
329p.

This is the story of Australian pianist David Helfgott. It is told by his wife Gillian who recounts her time with David and of David's past before she met him.

A very interesting biography of an amazing man. Gillian obviously knows her husband very well, and I liked the non-linear style of the book as we went along on the journey of discovery Gillian herself was on.

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The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

2009-09-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

The Illustrated Man
Ray Bradbury
1952, 1991, Heinemann, London
0435123734
198p.

A man meets another man who has 'illustrations' all over his body - these illustrations move and tell stories of the future.

More great short stories from Bradbury. These were terrifying and horrifying stories of what's to come. My favourite was 'The Rocket'.

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Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

2009-09-27T03:20:00.000-07:00

Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Jules Verne
1864, , Wordsworth Classics,
1853262870
185p.

On discovering a parchment from an Icelandic explorer which claims that the explorer had travelled to the centre of the earth, an eccentric scientist and his nephew embark on their own journey.

As always, Verne is superb. He is my favourite author, yet I've never read this book in full before. It's such an adventure!

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Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

2009-09-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
2003, 2008, Vintage, London
9780099523994
343p.

Auto-biography of an Iranian woman told in graphic novel form. Marjane grew up in the time of the revolution and the war with Iraq.

I liked the way the reader got a feel for Iranian culture through the telling of the story. Marjane was not a really likeable character - at times you just want to slap her, but I think because this is a tale of growing up, stuff like that is going to be in the book and it's great that she didn't leave it out or gloss over it. It's a very honest book.

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The Tower by Richard Martin Stein

2009-09-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

The Tower
Richard Martin Stein
1973, 1974, Pan Books, London
0330242334
303p.

The book on which the movie The Towering Inferno is based. A new skyscraper bigger than the World Trade Centre is built in New York City. At the opening, a bomb explodes leaving 100 people trapped on the top floor with fire burning below.

A bit of a sombre read considering what has happened in the meantime. The cover art is especially poignant. The story itself was interesting - not at all what I was expecting. It's more of a philosophical little book, rather than an action adventure.

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Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

2009-09-12T01:57:00.000-07:00

Guns, Germs and Steel
Jared Diamond
1997, Random House, London
0224038095
425p.

This book discusses human history and the evolution of different societies in the world. It attempts to answer the question of why Europeans dominate the modern world, rather than Australian Aboriginals or Africans.

A very heavy read, but interesting topic. I found it a bit repetitive once the basic facts were established. One tiny annoying thing was the author's assumption that the reader was North American.

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